The BEST Vegan Macaroni and "cheese"

Everybody loves Mac and Cheese, especially the rugrats.  Vegan children are no exception!  I suppose it's the delicate texture, or the bright color... or maybe it just taste awesome.  Whatever the case may be, every mom, and every vegan needs a Mac and Cheese recipe suited to please even the pickiest velvetta connoisseurs.  I've had a lot of vegan Macaroni and Cheese, and I will be the first to admit that they are not all created equal.  Some resemble wet cardboard, others taste like pure old bland noodles... this is BY FAR the best vegan Macaroni I've ever had (with the exception of "Vegetarian Soulfood's" in Atlanta, GA).  Keep in mind that this is not regular full fat, dairy cheese.  It's not going to taste exactly the same, and that's okay.  If you are trying to replicate Velvetta shells and cheese, you definitely want to use the optional Daiya at the end, because it adds the unmistakable taste of cheddar.  This  doesn't take too awful long;  you just need about 10 minutes and a blender.

(GF) I opt to use the gluten free Macaroni shells made by Tinkyada, which can be purchased at healthfood stores, Publix, Kroger, or Walmart.  This recipe is naturally gluten free.

Ingredients:

Pasta

3 Cups or a 16 oz bag of dry Macaroni shells or elbows (I always use Tinkyada brown rice noodles)

1 tsp. coconut oil

Water according to package directions

"Cheese"

1 (15 oz) can of Coconut milk

1/2 Cup Cashews (raw preferably, but roasted works fine)

1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast Flakes (purchase in health food store, a must have for making cheeses)

1 Tbs. Salt

1/8 Cup Corn starch

1/4 Cup soy milk powder (this can be omitted, but it makes it creamier)

1/4 Cup pimentos 

1 heaping Tbs. Coconut oil

2 Tbs. Lemon juice (IMPORTANT!)

1 tsp. Onion powder

1/2 - 1 Cup of Daiya Cheddar cheese shreds (totally optional, but I use when serving non-vegans, because it makes it taste more like velvetta)

"Cheese" ingredients in the blender, and ready to blend.

Directions:

Begin cooking macaroni according to the instructions, with 1 tsp. of coconut oil, and without salt.

Blend all other ingredients in the blender, til smooth and silky (check for gritty-ness by rubbing a little "cheese" between your finger and thumb).

When macaroni is soft and ready, strain and add back to the pot

Pour your smooth blended "cheese" mixture over your pasta, and heat on medium, stirring until the "cheese" thickens to your liking, only takes me a minute or two

If you opt to use Daiya cheese, add that while thickening

Once your Macaroni and cheese is nice and gooey and thick, remove from heat

Serve within 15 minutes to maintain the ooey gooey-ness

After it cools, it becomes sort of stiff and gelatinous like regular mac and cheese does

Enjoy :)

Oh So easy Potato Soup

So, I was checking out my girl Susan's blog (Fatfree vegan), when I saw this blogger challenge to replicate any of her dishes and send them into Tried and Tasted (and Zlamushka's spicy kitchen).  It's just a celebratory thing to show our appreciation to Susan, a leader in Vegan cuisine.  I chose to replicate this beautiful soup, because I've done it so many times already, and it's so easy, it needs to be shared.  So here it is.  Easy, and Gluten Free! And I literally copied and pasted the recipe, because nothing needs to change!  Hope you love it, we do!

Quick and Easy Potato Soup

Potatoes can be microwaved, boiled, steamed, or even baked beforehand.

Ingredients

3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cooked and peeled, if desired
1/2 small onion
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (using more will make it spicy)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon raw cashews or 1/2 tbsp. cashew butter (optional)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 1/2 cups low-fat soymilk or other non-dairy milk

Instructions

High-Powered Blender Users: Place two of the potatoes along with the remaining ingredients into the blender in the order given. Start machine on low speed and increase to highest setting. Blend for about 4 minutes, until steaming hot. Dice remaining potato and divide it among 4 bowls. Pour the soup over the potatoes and serve hot.

Regular Blender/Stovetop Users: Chop the onion and sauté it until soft in a medium-sized saucepan. Cut the potatoes into cubes and add 2/3 of them to the pan, along with the broth, rosemary, white pepper, and salt. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. Pour into blender along with cashew butter, soymilk, and nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth. Return to pan, add remaining potatoes, and cook, stirring often, over low heat until hot.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s) | Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

Breaded Tofu Fillets

My husband absolutely loves these things.  I withhold them for special occasions, so now they can be found on the food pedestal.  The truth is, although tofu is way healthier than it's adversary (the forbidden meat), it's still considered a processed food.  I try not to use processed foods when I can avoid it, but this was a recipe I found in one of my first vegan cook books (Vegan Homestyle), and I just can't seem to shuck it.  Some compare these bad boys to "fish fillets", but I just let them be what they are.  Breaded and baked tofu fillets.  The texture is reminiscent of tender chicken breast, or tilapia fish fillets.

(GF) To make this dish gluten free, simply use a gluten free all-purpose flour for your breading.

Ingredients:

2 blocks of extra firm tofu

approximately 3 heaping Tbs. of Vegenaise or home-made vegan mayo

1 recipe breading meal

Breading meal

Mix the following in a closable container or ziplock:

1/2 Cup whole wheat flour (or gluten free flour)

4 Tbs. Nutritional Yeast Flakes (can be found at health food stores)

1 Tbs. Onion Powder

1 Tbs. Parsley

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Paprika

1 tsp. Kelp Powder (optional, gives the taste of fish & is very good for you)

2 tsp. Lemon Zest (finely grate the peel of a lemon)

Breading Meal in a tupperware container, before being mixed

Tofu pieces before vegan mayo or breading meal, as you can see, they are not perfect.

Put vegan mayo coated pieces into batter and toss/cover

Notice that the pieces on the left have not been sprayed with oil yet

Directions:

Slice tofu into 4 fillets (width not length, to make them thin)

Pull tofu into large chunks, like chicken breast (Optional, you can also leave these in the rectangle shape and skip this step)(Pictured above pulled into imperfect, irregular pieces)

With a butter knife, or your clean hands, cover all the tofu with vegan mayo (I put tofu in a bowl, with vegan mayo and gently roll pieces around to coat them, careful not to break tofu up too small)

Once fully coated in vegan mayo, place in breading meal container to coat with mixture (I put in a large Tupperware bowl and shake it up with lid on)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place tofu on an oiled cookie sheet, and spray the tops of each fillet with your oil spray (I use organic olive oil), so that there is no dry flour visible on the tofu (don't worry about the bottom, the oil on the pan will soak in)

Bake on 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, no need to turn

Enjoy!

Makes 8 rectangle fillets, or 16 to 20 tofu "breast?"  Lol... I'm not sure what to call them :)

**Serves up nicely with garlic potatoes and something green!

Slap ya Mammy Vegan Squash Casserole

Hip Hip Hooray for comfort food!  I am in the most delightful mood today.  I am totally giddy and not sure why.  I always relate being in a great mood to the memory of laying in my bed in the apartment I shared with my grandmother in college (odd, I know... but my grandma happens to be the coolest woman I know).  I wake up to the sound of her clanging around in the kitchen, the smell of biscuits baking, and the crackling and popping of bacon on the stove.  The house is nice and cool, and the t.v. in the living room is at a low lull, as to not disturb the sleeping baby (me), on the weather channel of course, and the fan urges me to hide under the sheets.  Not an issue in the world could ruin that moment.  No matter the difficulties life threw, there was something about those days that just brought peace and comfort.  The inability to revisit that scenario is the hardest thing about being a vegan.  My grandmother is alive and well, but lacks the initiative to revamp her famous recipes.  I however, am on a mission to provide those memorable morning moments to my children and grandchildren, with vegan versions.  So this dear friends is a pretty amazing replication of her squash casserole. Not many ingredients to boast of, just the simplicity of yellow squash, salt balance, and a little "cheese", really.  I hope you enjoy this "Slap ya Mammy, A.K.A. Grandma Retha's, squash casserole" as much as we do.

(GF) To make this dish gluten free, use a gluten free cracker instead of the Ritz crackers (like Glutino brand, which can be found in walmart), and make sure your vegan butter is gluten free too.  The one listed is gluten free, and so is this particular "cheese".

Ingredients:

6 medium sized squash cut into 1 inch chunks

2.5 Cups of Crushed ritz crackers 
1.5 Cups of Cheddar Daiyah cheese (or half Cheddar, half Mozzarella)

3/4 stick of vegan margarine or 1/4 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance Coconut spread)

3/4 onion, uncooked and chopped (I have used purple and yellow, both work)

3/4 Cup almond milk (original, not vanilla)

1.5 tsp. Salt (add or subtract to your needs)
2 Tbs. flax seed or 3 flax meal

Directions:

Boil squash til tender, drain off water
Grind your flax seed into meal with a coffee grinder and mix with 6 tablespoons of water in a separate bowl (Or if you used pre-ground flax meal, skip the grinding) This is going to set your casserole like eggs would.

Mix all ingredients in the pot, except 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the crackers (those will be used on top)

Dump into a large, oiled casserole dish and bake 40 min. on 350.
Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese, and then remaining crackers on top

Turn oven OFF

Return to oven for a couple of minutes to help melt the cheese underneath the crackers

Remove and cool for at least 15 minutes to allow casserole to set (longer is better, even if you have to reheat).

Just enough water to cover the squash.

Mix it all in the pot!

In the dish, ready to bake!

Yummers!