Recipe: Vegan Mac & Cheese

If you'd told me a couple of years ago that I'd eat and enjoy - let alone cook myself - vegan "mac and cheese," I'd have laughed. And rolled my eyes. And probably gagged. But curiosity got the better of me recently, after reading about different and new dairy replacement options, and I decided to go for it... still without much confidence that I would end up with a dish I'd feel compelled to eat.Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised.Let me backtrack again for a moment to say I've personally never been a fan of soy cheese. For lack of a better word... yuck. Even since scaling way back on my dairy intake - a decision I'm happy with for the physical and health benefits - I don't find I miss it. And I was a dairy lover. Ice cream, yogurt, cheese, you name it. Dairy ice cream is easy to replace with non-dairy alternatives (more to come on that soon...), but as for straight up cheese I'd rather generally avoid non-dairy alternatives and instead just savor a few bites of the real deal (helloo Humboldt Fog) on a rare occasion.But then recently, I read about Daiya - a new non-dairy "cheese" that is also soy-free. I came across a few other blogs raving about it's authentic-like properties - the absence of a funky aftertaste, a pleasant flavor and texture, great melting ability, and all-around cooking versatility. So I decided to give it a try.I stood over the stove, beginning the cooking process with what I can only imagine was a skeptical look on my face (think eyebrows either slightly arched or furrowed) as I stirred the pot... literally, not figuratively... and my expression relaxed and morphed into one of happy intrigue (think eyebrows slightly raised while smiling smirkily).  I boiled some pasta, made the "cheese" sauce, combined the two and then baked them. And this is the happy dish I wound up with:This was my first attempt making anything like this, and it's a recipe I'd like to tweak and evolve - I wish I'd made brazil nut "parmesan" before making this dish, because I think it would be great sprinkled on top; I also think chopped broccoli and tomatoes would work very well baked in - but I do think this is a tasty starting place in the world of non-dairy macaroni and cheese.Without sacrificing taste and texture, I'd rather have the ingredients in this go into my body than the bagillion things I can't pronounce on a box of Velveeta or something along those lines, that's for sure - and it's vegan, soy-free and could also be easily made gluten-free with rice pasta or quinoa pasta.So, give it a go and let me know what you think!Recipe: Vegan Macaroni Gemelli & CheeseWhat You Need:

  • 8-10 oz pasta (I used regular gemelli)
  • 1 package of Daiya Shredded "Cheddar"
  • 1 1/4 c coconut milk (from a carton - I think canned would be too rich in this case)
  • 2 tbsp non-dairy "butter" (no margarine - try soy-free Earth Balance)
  • 1 tsp ground mustard seed
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • salt to taste (a pinch or two should do)
  • lots of fresh ground pepper
  • garlic powder to taste
  • red pepper flakes to taste
  • 1/8 c breadcrumbs (more about my thoughts on breadcrumbs here!)

What You Do:

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Prepare pasta according to instructions on package; cook to al dente doneness
  • In a small/medium saucepan, heat coconut milk and "butter" over medium heat until "butter" melts and liquid is simmering
  • Add all other ingredients - minus breadcrumbs - and whisk frequently to stir as everything melts and combines together
  • Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until "cheese" mixture is smooth and creamy; taste for seasoning and adjust as needed to your preferences
  • Mix "cheese" sauce and pasta in a large bowl, and pour into an oven-safe baking dish (I used a round, glass 9-inch dish)
  • Sprinke breadcrumbs on top
  • Bake on center rack at 350 for about 10 minutes, and then switch oven temperature to high broil
  • Keep a close eye on the oven and broil for about 5 minutes (give or take a min. or two) until bubbling and the top is lightly browned
  • Remove and devour!

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, and reheat well in the oven. I froze some leftovers too, so time will tell how well (or not) it thaws and reheats.. 

Recipe: Vegan Pesto

Garlic and basil are two of my favorite flavors - so pesto is a no-brainer. If you tasted this without knowing the ingredients, you may be like me in that unless you were told, you wouldn't even realize what "traditional" pesto ingredient isn't present: parmesan. So - this is a vegan pesto recipe, as richly flavorful and robust as any other!Recipe: Vegan PestoWhat You Need

  • 2 1/2 cups of loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4- 1/2 cup shelled walnuts (use more or less based on whatever you like - might take a few tries to perfect to your preferences)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
  • salt & pepper to taste

What You Do

  • Process basil, walnuts, garlic, salt and pepper in food processor until coarsely ground and moist
  • Add in oil in 2-3 tbsp increments, pulsing to combine each addition, until consistency is creamy and only slightly textured
  • Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days (you can drizzle some olive oil on top to help prevent discoloration); freeze to preserve longer

Recipe(s): Putting Vanilla Balsamic Vinegar to Delicious Use

So far, we've used the vanilla balsamic vinegar we purchased from Olive Creations in two dishes - one sweet, one savory (both vegan!) - and both were delicious. The first:Brussels Sprouts with Beans & GrainsThis was one of those on-the-spot, use-what's-in-the-fridge/cupboards meals that was simple and super healthy. It's a combination of some of my favorite foods, and the vanilla vinegar added a special touch (though regular balsamic vinegar would be more than fine as well!)What You Need:- 20 (approx.) brussels sprouts, halved- 1/2 package Trader Joes Harvest Grains blend- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed- Virgin/unrefined coconut oil (a couple of tbsp, to taste)- Sea and/or truffle salt and ground pepper, to taste- Garlic powder, to taste- Vanilla balsamic vinegar, to tasteWhat You Do:- THE BRUSSELS SPROUTS: Heat a (preferably nonstick) cast-iron griddle pan on the stovetop over low-medium heat. Melt about 1 tbsp of coconut oil (add or reduce the amount of oil based on your preference and the pan you're using) on heated pan. Place brussels sprouts flat side down on the pan and season with salt (consider using truffle salt if you have it!) and pepper; cook until they are lightly browned and begin to soften, and then flip and continue cooking to desired doneness. When finished, place in a bowl and toss with approx. 1 tbsp of the vinegar.- THE GRAINS: Cook on stovetop according to directions on the package. I used coconut oil in place of butter or olive oil, and once the grains were finished cooking I added approx. another 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil. Then, season to taste with ground pepper and garlic powder. Keeping the flame beneath the pot on the lowest setting, add the kidney beans and stir; wait until they are warmed through.- SERVE: Combine all in a bowl and enjoy! (Side note: I love the vanilla vinegar so much I also added a bit to the grains in my bowl)Coconut Milk Ice Cream with Vanilla Balsamic VinegarWhat You Need:- Coconut-milk vanilla ice cream- Vegan chocolate chip cookies, or whatever you have handy (I will be posting my recipe this week!)- Vanilla balsamic vinegarWhat You Do:Kind of a no-brainer here - just combine all of the ingredients together in whatever amounts you prefer in a bowl! For three small scoops of ice cream totaling about 3/4 cups, about 1 tsp of vinegar was added on top. You may be surprised at just how tasty the vinegar is with the ice cream! And I'd bet regular aged balsamic vinegar would do just fine as well. 

Recipe: Whole Wheat (insert berry here) Muffins

Whole wheat pastry flour is a fool-proof way to bake muffins, batter breads and cookies with whole wheat and without the risk of a dense, dry or gummy final product. When using other whole wheat or whole grain flours, the ingredient ratio/balance can be a little trickier to finesse in order to end up with a desirable texture, but whole wheat pastry flour makes it easy - no modifications necessary (the vast, vast majority of the time) if you're swapping it for all-purpose unbleached white flour - delicious and nutritious!

WHOLE WHEAT RASPBERRY MUFFINS

2011-12-27_11-52-09_977

2011-12-27_11-52-09_977

WHAT YOU NEEDFor the muffins:

  • 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

  • 1/2 cup turbinado sugar

  • 2 tsp baking powder

  • 3/4 tsp salt

  • 1 large egg*

  • 1/2 cup coconut milk**

  • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

  • 5 tbsp coconut oil, melted*** - plus more (not melted) for greasing

  • 1 1/2 cups berries (I went with fresh raspberries this time)

NOTES:*If halving the recipe, whisk 1 large egg in a small bowl and spoon or pour out half of it for use in the recipe**For best results, use the full-fat canned version (Thai Kitchen brand is great)***Use unrefined virgin coconut oil

For the topping:

  • 3/4 tsp turbinado sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

WHAT YOU DO

  • Preheat oven with middle rack to 375°F

  • Grease 12-muffin tray with unmelted coconut oil

  • Whisk flour, turbinado, baking powder and salt in a large bowl

  • Whisk egg in a separate medium bowl, and then whisk in coconut milk, oil and vanilla

  • Add the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring and folding with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined (the batter will be thick and dense

  • Fold in berries

  • Fill each muffin cup equally with the batter

  • Stir together the additional turbinado and cinnamon in a small dish until combined, and sprinkle over the top of each muffin

  • Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

  • Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, and then unmold onto a cooling rack.

  • Enjoy!

Adapted from Gourmet