Thursday, October 23, 2008

Vegan Mac & Cheese, Part Deux

I've been working on my recipe for vegan mac & cheese for quite a while.  I need to include one in my Southern vegan cookbook, but I didn't want to go the traditional "noochy cheezy sauce with noodles" approach.  Nothing against that, but that doesn't really warrant a recipe.  So I developed a yummy cashew cheezy sauce.  Last time I tried it, the sauce was out of this world, but I baked the pasta and it dried out ... ick. 

This time, however, I stirred the boiled whole wheat shells into sauce prepared on the stovetop and voila — Super Creamy Mac & Cashew Cheeze:

I love this stuff!  But I'm not gonna part with the recipe, as it will be featured in my upcoming cookbook (whenever that actually happens ... don't worry, it will come, but I am taking my time). 

I created a meal out of side dishes to go along with the mac & cheese.  I also made this Southern Fried Okra:

I used Japanese okra from my Granny's garden, so it's a little bigger than an average sized okra ... but still tasty.  For the batter, I mixed whole wheat pastry flour, cornmeal, onion powder, salt, and pepper. 

I also prepared some Baked Green Tomatoes:

I prefer them fried (in fact, I prefer everything fried), but I knew frying two veggies in one meal would be a bad idea.  So I prepared these 'maters (also from my Granny) by slicing them, drizzling with olive oil, seasoning them with thyme and salt, and topping them with bread crumbs.  Then I baked them at 350 for about 15 minutes. 

By the way, I had every intention of making Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes for Iron Cupcake: Earth tonight ... but my plans were thrwarted!  I went shopping for something to wear to my ten-year high school reunion tonight (which makes me feel super old), and SHOPPING TAKES FOREVER!  By the time I had something cute to wear, Whole Foods (the only place with vegan cream cheese) was closed.  And the deadline for Iron Cupcake is tomorrow at noon ... so it looks like I'll be skipping again!  Sorry! 

that mac n' cheese looks great, and good for you for coming up with an alternative to the very good (but tired) noochy cheez sauce.  i'm excited about yer cookbook.  btw, i'm sure you know this, you ain't old.  go to the reunion with no expectations, and i guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised. ( wink-wink)i'm glad i did and i have #20 coming up in a couple of years! 

Yum!  Your Mac & Cheese sounds way better than the noochy sauce - which we have just never been able to get into.  Between that, the okra, and the baked green tomatoes, I am drooling, and hoping your cookbook comes out soon! 

my high school didn't even do a 10 year reunion - no one felt like organizing one.  ahahahaa.  i thought that was pretty awesome.  sadface on not be'n able to get the tofutti - it's all good though.  who needs cuppies when you have mac n' cheeze of creamy deliciousness?!  yay! 

Mmm holy crap that looks so WONDERFUL.  The mac and cheeese?!  with CASHEWS?  The best of all worlds.  Have you eaten cashew butter?  It's basically glory in a jar.  I can only imagine with mac and cheese...

My name is Bianca ...

About Me

I'm a 9-year vegan, 19-year vegetarian from the Mid-South, not too far from the muddy banks of the Mississippi River.  And that means cornbread, butter beans, and collard greens. 
These days, I live in Memphis.  Check out my cookbook — Cookin' Crunk.  It's filled with yummilicious veganized soul food and country classics.