Vegan Mac & Not-Cheese

I've been meaning to post this one for a while. Now that the weather is getting cooler, maybe it's time to think about warm comfort food like this again.

This is the best-tasting vegan version of Mac'n Cheese I have been able to create. It isn't really like traditional Mac'n Cheese. There is only one way to create that particular combination of flavors and textures. And it involves actual cheese.

But Veggie Mac is delicious and healthy, lower in fat and sodium, cruelty-free, and flavorful! This recipe provides some of the creaminess of the original, with a subtle and complex taste, pleasant texture, and cozy comfort-food feeling. So, here it is:

Vegan Mac’n Not-Cheese

You’ll need:

Elbow Pasta
1 block of Vegan Rella (cheddar flavor)
1 c. soy creamer or soy milk
4 tbsp Earth Balance margarine
½ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup Rice Wine (Mirin)
2 tbsp Brewer’s Yeast

1 cup of chopped leeks
2 tbsp olive oil
½ bag of frozen broccoli, thawed

2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp soy sauce, nama shoyu, or tamari
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp mustard (Grey Poupon or other Dijon mustard)
1 tsp garlic

Bread crumbs or crushed whole wheat crackers sufficient for topping.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Thaw the frozen broccoli and boil the elbow pasta according to instructions on box. Drain excess water from both. Set aside in large bowl or pan; add 1 tbsp of margarine to keep pasta from getting sticky.

Saute the leeks in the olive oil over medium-low heat until they are soft. In a small dish, mix garlic, mustard, and soy sauce. Stir the mustard mixture into the warm leeks and remove from heat.

In a saucepan, melt the remaining margarine over low heat. Cut the Vegan Rella block into smaller cubes, and add it to the margarine. As it begins to melt, slowly pour the soy creamer into the mixture.

Whisk the melted cheese mixture until the “cheese” is mostly melted. Stir in the nutritional yeast and whisk until smooth. Add the Brewer’s yeast and the rice wine and blend until smooth. Remove from heat and add onion powder, sea salt, nutmeg and pepper.

Combine all ingredients in an 8 x 8 casserole dish, stirring until the "cheese" mixture is well-blended. Top with bread crumbs or crackers, and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!