Vegan Mac and Cheeze

I love this dish and the kids do too! I have made it numerous times to take to pot lucks and other social functions and get lots of compliments on it. It is good for those on the Feingold Diet, those that are Vegan and anyone else who wants to try a yummy dish! I got the recipe from Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food by Alicia C. Simpson. http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Easy-Vegan-Comfort-Food/dp/1615190058/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326839326&sr=8-1   I highly recommend this cookbook, it is great!


Ingredients
1 lb. elbow macaroni or rotini pasta (I usually use Tinkyada brown rice fusilli sold at Fred’s and Walmart but only had this Field Day farfalle on hand this time which worked just as good.)

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (mine were small so I used 3)

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced (sometimes I use two depending on size of carrot)
2/3 cup diced white or yellow onion

2 ½ cups water

2/3 cup canola oil

1/3 cup raw cashews

1/3 cup macadamia nuts (commissary sells chopped 6 oz bags)

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 garlic cloves, chopped

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (I did not use because did not know if kids would like it)

¼ cup plain bread crumbs, optional (I did not us)


Preheat oven to 350
Lightly oil a 3-quart casserole dish

Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, combine the potatoes, carrots, onion, and 2 ½ cups water in small saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat until the water is simmering, and cook, covered for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Put the oil, cashews, macadamia nuts, salt, garlic, dry mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cooked vegetables with the cooking water into a blender and process until completely smooth. I used a food processor because I do not have a blender.


Toss cooked pasta with blended cheese sauce until it is completely coated.

Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese sauce is bubbling. The recipe did not say whether or not to cook it covered or uncovered so I covered it. The end result is delicious!