My hubby and I were craving comfort food last night.
It was cold and snowy here in New England and my hubby was shoveling and to his dismay his wedding ring fell off and he could not find it! With it getting dark and snow everywhere it seemed almost like a hopeless situation. He however stayed out there for hours, and he even borrowed his parents metal detector device to see if that would help him. It was all to no avail. I decided to make this Mac & Cheese recipe I stumbled upon and I am so glad I did! It seemed to do the trick, we both loved this savory meal and felt at least temporarily comforted!
I changed a couple small things in the recipe, but not much! Instead of carrots (I didn't have any) I used 1/4 cup of steamed sweet potatoes, and instead of millet flour I used 3 tablespoons of organic garbanzo bean flour which worked just as well. I also used the Tinkyada Gluten-Free Organic Brown Rice Pasta, which worked great in this recipe! For the non-dairy milk I used unsweetened coconut milk. I also used 2 cups of potatoes (instead of 1) and 1 teaspoon of turmeric for color (I added extra as it is so good for you). I used a gluten-free bread crumb I had on hand and baked just for 20 minutes!
I think the only thing I would add next time is maybe some jalapenos for spice and some small broccoli chunks! I served our meal last night with peas as Macaroni Cheese & Peas taste great together!
For those of you on the Medical Medium protocol, most of the ingredients are fine! It is hard to find egg free, soy free, dairy free, and gluten free recipes! I think the only thing you may want to leave out is the mustard if you are avoiding vinegar, but it is not a big part of the recipe (1/4 teaspoon) so I am sure it won't be missed too much! Also be sure to use a gluten-free pasta and organic ingredients as much as possible!
Here is the recipe! Happy Noshing! Yum!
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Serves: serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
10 ounces elbow macaroni pasta, approximately 2 cups dry (I used Tinkyada Gluten-Free Organic Brown Rice Pasta - the whole packet) 1 cup (about 7 ounces) chopped Yukon gold potatoes (with or without peel) (I did 2 cups) ¼ cup chopped, peeled carrots ⅓ cup chopped onion 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons millet or all-purpose flour (I used Organic Garbanzo Bean Flour) ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used Unsweetened Coconut Milk) 2 teaspoons sea salt ¼ teaspoon garlic, minced (about 1 small clove) or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon dijon mustard (Maybe leave out if on MM protocol) 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
1.) Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2.) In a medium saucepan, add the potatoes, carrots, onion and 1 cup water; bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are easily pierced with a fork.
3.) Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain and place back into pot.
4.) Place the olive oil in a small saucepan and heat over medium. Add the flour and cook, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute. Slowly add milk, while continuously whisking. Allow mixture to simmer on low, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
5.) Add the milk mixture, salt, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, pepper, softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender or food processor and process until perfectly smooth. Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and combine completely. The sauce will thicken as it cooks and continue to do so as it cools.
6.) Pour into an un-greased 11x7-inch dish; evenly top with prepared breadcrumb mixture, if using. Bake for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
7.) FOR THE TOPPING (OPTIONAL): Put the pieces of bread, 2 teaspoons olive oil and paprika in a food processor and process until combined to make crumbs, set aside.
Notes
*To make this more of a "one-pot" meal, add some veggies to the mix. About 2 cups worth cooked vegetables and bake in a 9x13-inch pan.
*To give the sauce a more yellow color- use ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground turmeric.
Happy, Healthy Eating!
All the credit goes to: Author: Laura Machell (www.thegreenforks.com)
Recipe page: http://thegreenforks.com/vegan-mac-and-cheese/