Mac and Cheese and Gumbo… But Make It Vegan!

INGREDIENTS

Mac and Cheese

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 cup vegetable stock or non dairy unsweetened milk
• 1-15oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1⁄2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Hot sauce
• 1 cup dairy free cheese, prefer violife

Topping

• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Gumbo

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, small dice
• 1 large green bell pepper, small dice
• 4 stalks celery, small dice
• 1 cup okra, 1⁄4 in sliced into rings, optional
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp cajun creole seasonings
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1-15oz can dice tomato
• 1-15 oz can red kidney beans
• 1 zucchini, shredded
• 1 cup parsley, finely chopped
• Hot sauce
• Serve with rice
• Chopped scallions

INSTRUCTIONS

Mac and Cheese

1. In a large stock pot, cook pasta according to directions. When draining, reserve some pasta water and return pasta to the stock pot.
2. Meanwhile , in a saucepan, add the oil, carrots and garlic, on medium high heat, saute for 2-3 minutes. Stir in stock, beans, onion powder, salt and pepper. Simmer until carrots are soft, about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer mixture to a blender, add nutritional yeast and hot sauce, process until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Add cheese sauce and shredded cheese to warm pasta, if too thick add 1⁄4 cup pasta water at a time, until sauce looks creamy and fully mixed with the pasta.
3. Preheat Broil on high. Pour pasta into a baking dish, set aside. In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs, oil, garlic powder and salt, resembling wet sand. Sprinkle on top of the pasta, and place under 6 inches under the broiler for a few minutes, rotating the dish, until golden brown. Serve.

NOTES

• This is Seasoning is great to use for making tacos or chilis. Make it yourself helps you control the sugar and sodium, unlike those store bought premade packets.
• Use heartier tortilla chips, nothing to thin or the chips will get soggy. I like to use the store brand for these nachos. They hold up really well.
• Turkey is a great subsitute for beef in this dish. You could use any type of meat, even rotisserie chicken. 
• Covering the pan entireely with foil, help reprevent a messy clean up. 
• This sauce  can me made with dairy but substitute dary milk and cheese. It can be used for pastas, over steamed broccoli, or anything that could use some delicious cheese. 
• Put on your favorite toppings or leave sauces on the side. 

Gumbo

1. In a large stock pot, on medium low heat add flour and oil. Whisk to combine, once roux begins to cook, whisk regularly to avoid sticking to the pan. This will take about 55 minutes to develop a chocolate brown color. Do not turn the heat up to go faster, it will burn. Roux can be made ahead of time and placed in the refrigerator for a few days or freezer for 6 months.
2. When roux is chocolate brown and smells nutty, add onion, bell pepper, celery, and okra. Stir into the roux and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add salt, cajun seasoning and garlic powder and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in vegetable stock, dice tomatoes, red kidney, let cook for 15-20 minutes until vegetables are soft, but still a bit crunchy. Stir in zucchini and parsley.
3. Ladle into a bowl, top with a scoop of rice, dash or two of hot sauce, sprinkle with green onions.

Notes

• If you wanted to add rotisserie chicken or Fully cooked sausage stir in at the end of cooking. Substitute any beans for your favorite. Okra is optional.