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 :)

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!

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

How delighted I am to tell you of todays adventure.  Just recently a friend asked me if I had experimented with spaghetti squash at all... I said no, because I don't have access to it.  Well, I'll be dog, I found it the next day at good old wally world.  OH! I can't tell you how rich and buttery the smell of them roasting is.  Pluggins should be scented "winter squash" for the fall season line.  This is my first experience with this lovely vegetable, so I imagine there will be many improvements made, but I had to share this absolute delight with you, while they're in season.  This recipe is for ONLY 1 squash, so if you're serving 2, double the ingredients.  Enjoy!

Stick a knife into squash 4 times for ventilation, and place on a pan.  Cook 1 hr or 1.5 hours for 2, on 350

Cut in half long ways, and de-seed with a fork

Scrape insides into a large bowl, and save the "shell"

Ingredients:

1 Spaghetti Squash

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. italian seasoning

2 Tbs. vegan bakon bits (most grocery stores carry a kosher, artificially flavored bacon bit)

1 heaping Tbs. of vegan butter (like Smart balance light or Earth balance)

1/2 Cup of Daiyah Mozzarella cheese (purchase from kroger or healthfood store)

Directions:

Add all ingredients into bowl with squash

Mix with fork and return to squash shells

Sprinkle the top with Daiyah and return to oven

Bake on 350 for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted

Voila!  Serve in the shell, or if you're serving several people, put in table center with dipping spoon

Scrambled "Teggs" (Tofu)

This is so easy, even my husband can do it.  It's so cute, he even adds things like chopped onions, and whatever spices he is familiar with.  This can be dressed up all kinds of ways, but I'm just going to give you the basics, and let you be creative.  Think "breakfast burrito".... (peppers, onions, etc.)

Served on bread rounds as a sandwich with fresh baby spinach

Ingredients:

1 box of mori-nu silken tofu (firm or extra firm)

1 Tbs. Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)

1.5 Tbs. Chicken-like seasoning

**Extra options:

Chopped onions, mushrooms, bell pepper, hot peppers (saute in fryer before adding tofu), my cashew cheese (see recipe link below), Or 1/2 tsp. of smoked paprika (reminds me of bacon and eggs!)

Directions:

Drain your tofu box, and then squeeze your tofu out into an oiled frying pan

(you don't need a lot of oil, maybe none if using a non-stick pan)

If you still have big hunks of tofu, mash them a little with a fork, until they look like what's pictured

Turn heat to medium high 

Drizzle Bragg's over tofu

Sprinkle Chicken-like seasoning over tofu

Mix around with a wooden spatula, until most tofu is seasoned

Let it cook!

This definitely takes longer than real eggs to cook.  In a thin light-weight fryer, it takes about 7 minutes to brown.  Leave it alone, and let it brown on one side, checking every so often, and once it's browned a little, shovel it around with your spatula, letting other sides brown.  This only takes about 2 minutes.  You'll see that it becomes dryer, and starts looking like scrambled eggs.  I wash and cut fruit, while I'm letting it brown to save time.  *To make these tofu-eggs rock your world, add 2 Tbs. of my cashew cheese recipe!

**Put this on a tortilla wrap with spinach, avocado, vegan mayo, and cashew cheese, and brown the tortilla wrap in the fryer after its all wrapped up, watch your family try to chew and smile :D