Healthier Mac and Cheese - What?!

The past few weeks I have been seriously considering going gluten-free for a trial period to determine if I’m sensitive to wheat in my diet, which is something I’ve suspected for awhile now.  Yet, as a vegan, I can’t help but wonder, if I eliminate wheat from my diet, what the h-e-double hockey sticks am I going to eat?  So, out of lack of preparedness, I’m putting off my gluten-free trial for at least another week.  Stay tuned!

It doesn’t get much more gluten-ey than pasta, does it?  If I’m going to inflame my digestive system, then mac and cheese is how I want to do it!

I know vegan macaroni and cheese seems oxymoronic.  Indeed, when I stopped eating animal products, there were some dishes I thought I would just never be able to eat again, and hamburgers and mac and cheese were #1 and #2 on my list of most-missed foods.

Well, I’ve come to learn that vegan mac and cheese is NOT an oxymoron.  I tweaked a recipe from a vegan cookbook that my turkey-basting grandparents got me for Christmas - yay for awesome grandparents and inter-generational acceptance!

On a related note, also not an oxymoron: chubby vegan.  Case in point, this is what the casserole dish looks like only 10 hours after I took the first photo:

I told you it was delicious! I love to sprinkle it with a few dashes of Tabasco sauce.

Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

1 pound macaroni, shell, or rotini pasta
2 medium (or 3 small) yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cups of water
2/3 cup of canola or vegetable oil
2/3 cup raw cashews
2 teaspoons salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon squeezed)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 or 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a baking pan or casserole dish.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Bring potatoes, carrots, onion, and 2 cups of water to a boil.  Turn down to low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  *Do not drain the water from the vegetables*

In a blender or food processor, combine the cooked vegetables with their cooking water, oil, cashews, salt, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, pepper, and cayenne pepper.  BE CAREFUL IF THE LIQUID LEVEL IS HIGH!  If using a blender, like me, pulse the mixture together gently before hitting the “Blend” button - this will help you prevent a Brawny commercial-worthy explosion of hot liquid all over your counters.  Blend until smooth.

Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.  

Mix cheese sauce in with the cooked pasta and pour into the casserole dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs.  

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling on the edges.