Vegan Mac & Cheese Recipe

Dear Boys and Girls,

Up until recently, I thought mac & cheese was a dish I could only enjoy on “splurge” days. In general, I avoid dairy and any products made with white flour. Well, I am happy to share that you can have your mac & cheese and eat it, too! I would like to thank Melissa Costello, Tony Horton’s chef and the owner of Karma Chow, for coming up with this delicious and simple recipe. (I can’t wait for her cookbook to come out this fall!)

Melissa Costello

Here it is!

8 ounce box of gluten-free pasta. I used Ancient Harvest Quinoa Organic Pasta Gluten Free. It’s available at most health food stores and even Amazon.com.

Blend together:

• 1-1/2 cups plain, unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk (I used cashew milk)
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• black pepper to taste

• 1 Tablespoon rice flour
• 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil

Prepare pasta to al dente.

Blend all remaining ingredients together in a blender except for olive oil and brown rice flour. When pasta is done, drain and rise. Set aside.

Over medium heat, add olive oil or Earth Balance to a sauce pan and heat. Add brown rice flour and stir to make a roux. Add sauce mixture and pasta and cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens. If sauce is too thick, add more almond milk. If too thin, add a little more rice flour. If sauce needs more flavor, add more mustard and onion or garlic powder. Top with a dash of smoke paprika and serve immediately!

8 ounces of dry pasta makes enough for 4 to 8 servings! I just save mine in a tupperware and heat up. If I want it to be a little moist, I just add a touch of almond/cashew milk and a few flakes of nutritional yeast.

Here’s to your delicious meal!

Barbie Decker, PhD

Be Sociable, Share!

•