The unseasonal downpour of snow here in the Northwest has not been kind to us, but we made the best of it today with a photoshoot, rehearsal, and mac & cheese.
Yes, it seemed only natural to feast on comfort food given the four inches of snow outside, and since Jillian (our cellist) is a new vegan, I took the opportunity to expose her to the glory that is vegan mac & cheese. There are a lot of ways to make a cheeze sauce, but this one is by far my favorite, and pretty great for you as comfort foods go!
soundtrack;
Paper Bird: As I Am
I've been listening to a lot of Paper Bird lately, since we booked a show opening for them at Tractor Tavern in Seattle on March 19th. Their soul-infused folksy three-part harmonies make them a perfect fit for cozy days cooking indoors.
recipe;
(adapted from Vegnews' pseudo-famous recipe)
Makes about 8 servings. We made it for lunch and then another batch for dinner. Seriously.
- 8 ounces macaroni
- 4 slices of bread, torn into large pieces (you can also use store-bought breadcrumbs)
- 2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
- 1 shallot, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium yellow potato, cut into chunks
- 1-2 small-ish carrots, cut into chunks
- 1/2 a sweet onion, peeled & cut into chunks
- 1/4 cup raw cashews
1 cup vegan broth (vegetable or no-chicken) OR butternut squash bisque
- 2 teaspoons sea salt (I got some truffle salt at Trader Joe's and I LOVE the flavor it adds)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Paprika (optional)
- 1-2 drops liquid smoke (optional)
1-1.5 cups shredded collard greens (optional)
1/4 cup french fried onions (optional)
- In a large pot, bring water and salt to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. In a colander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- If making bread crumbs: in a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 tablespoons margarine to a medium-fine texture. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, bring to a boil: water, salt, shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.
- In a blender or food processor, process the cashews, salt, garlic, 1/3 cup margarine, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne. Add softened vegetables and broth/bisque to the blender and process until smooth.
- In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta, blended cheese sauce, and collard greens (also, smoked tofu? veggie dogs?) until completely coated. Spread mixture into a 9 x 12 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs and/or french fried onion, and dust with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.
<3
1 cup vegan broth (vegetable or no-chicken) OR butternut squash bisque
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Paprika (optional)
1-1.5 cups shredded collard greens (optional)
1/4 cup french fried onions (optional)
- In a large pot, bring water and salt to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. In a colander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- If making bread crumbs: in a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 tablespoons margarine to a medium-fine texture. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, bring to a boil: water, salt, shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.
- In a blender or food processor, process the cashews, salt, garlic, 1/3 cup margarine, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne. Add softened vegetables and broth/bisque to the blender and process until smooth.
- In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta, blended cheese sauce, and collard greens (also, smoked tofu? veggie dogs?) until completely coated. Spread mixture into a 9 x 12 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs and/or french fried onion, and dust with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.
