Back in the Saddle with Mac and 'Cheese'

I really have no excuses... BUT!!

I just moved states. I left behind warm, rainy Hawaii for evil

hot California. Back to where I was a kid. I'm going to do my graduate

work down in Southern California, while cooking on the side.

Before I left I promised to post a Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe.

What I've found when trying out cheese and dairy replacements is to

not think of it as cheese or dairy. Don't try to stuff a block of vegan

cheese in your face expecting tillamook, ok? And don't try this recipe

expecting it to taste exactly like kraft. You'll be a lot happier that way.

But I really like this adaptation because there is no added fat and it

doesn't involve blending tofu. The nutritional yeast gives the cheese

sauce a nice aged flavour... strangely enough the more salt you add the

more it tastes like kraft.

Last time I made this I poured it over linguini and steamed kale and

topped it all with black sesame seeds. I can't wait to try it over broccoli!

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup plain soymilk
1 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon salt
1-2 cloves garlic pureed
1/2 small onion, minced as finely as you can
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1-2 teaspoon turmeric
pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon mellow white miso
black pepper to taste

Dissolve cornstarch in soymilk to avoid clumping. Combine all ingredients

and cook over low-medium heat until it boils and begins to thicken.

Cook for a short time whisking or stirring constantly. Pour over cooked

elbow pasta and serve. Amount of sauce= 1lb pasta.

As a child, my favorite way to have mac and cheese was with

fuji apples and hard pretzels!