I really really love Mac and Cheese. I love Amy’s new vegan rice mac and Daiya cheeze. I love my own vegan bacon mac and cheese. I love that whole foods squash casserole mac and cheese that I make with the stuffing topping. I mean I love anything even Mac and Cheese related. It is such a wonderful comfort food that I think anyone can relate. When I was detoxing off omnivore food after my surgery I remember crying in a CVS full of exiting hormones telling my husband I needed the instant mac and cheese in the cup and I was probably going to have a melt down if I didn’t get some. Yea it was dramatic. And no he didn’t leave me, he just ushered me out. I remember thinking I am acting like a pregnant woman with these hormones. Well thankfully I am no longer going through the detox period of becoming vegan and I also can make mac and cheese (vegan) anytime I want. This recipe is how I feel I would best be able to mimic the baked macaroni and cheese I made back when I was not vegan. This is not your 1980’s blue box macaroni and cheese. This is the real stuff. I think this is the best way to think of “homestyle” or “comfort” food recipes. These are not meant to be the most healthy but are generally far healthier than their omnivore predecessors. I hope you love the ooey, gooey yumminess as much as I did.

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Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients for Sauce:

• (1) block Daiya Cheddar   
• (1) cup Soy Creamer   
• (1) stick Earth Balance Buttery Sticks      
• 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast (”nooch”)   
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder   
• 1/2 teaspoon Yellow Mustard   
• 1 tablespoon Thyme   
• 4 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic   
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Ingredients for Bake:

• 2lbs of elbow macaroni (I use whole wheat)   
• 1 bag Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds   
• 1 cup or more of Panko Flakes (breadcrumbs)   

Prepare Sauce and Macaroni:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large pot bring salted water to a boil. Add elbows and cook until al dente. Drain and Set aside.   

In a sauce pan place all sauce ingredients except flour in a pot and stir until well combined and a little thick. It will be salty but this is good because you will need that to season the pasta.         

Add flour last. The sauce should be pretty thick but pourable at this point.     

Baking:

Spray a casserole pot with oil and then add macaroni.

Pour sauce over macaroni and mix until well infused.

Add Daiya Shred and mix in until well incorporated. They will melt during baking.      

Next top with panko and a few pinches of salt if you want (I even give a few quick sprays of oil to ensure browning).      

Cook for 10-15 minutes. If you want it more brown cook 30 minutes but double the sauce recipe in order for the recipe not to dry out.  

Let Cool 5-10 minutes. Serve hot and Enjoy!              

Serves 10-12.

Side Note: When reheating this dish from leftovers always place some water in the bottom of the bowl. This will ensure the pasta does not dry out in the microwave and the cheese can remelt. You can also add more cheese with the water. I do the Daiya Havarti to add some spice!

WW Points: 11pts for 15 servings. 14 for 12 servings.
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Food is Love.

The Hippie Gypsy.