Here’s another health conscious make-over of an old comfort food favorite. This recipe is vegan, dairy free, gluten free and very, very good. You have to try it to believe it. The “cheese” sauce is also great on nachos, as a topping on broccoli or baked potatoes.

Vegan Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

• 8 ounces dry Macaroni noodles
• 4 slices of bread
• 2 tbspns + 1/3 cup margarine
• 3 tbspns shallots, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup red or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 tspn fresh garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/4 tspn prepared dijon mustard
• 1 tbspn fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 tspn ground black pepper
• 1/4 tspn ground cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tspn ground paprika

In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. In a collander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and add 2 tbspns margarine to a medium-fine texture. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion, water and bring to a boil. Cover pan and simmer for 15 minuts, or until vegetables are very soft.

In a blender, process the cashews, salt, garlic, 1/3 cup margarine, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper and cayenne. Add softened vegetables and cooking water to blender and process until perfectly smooth.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta and blended cheese sauce until completely coated. Spread mixture into a 9×12 baking dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs and dust with paprika. Bake 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.

Recipe created by:

Allison Rivers Samson, Maven of Mmmm.. at www.AllisonsGourmet.com. Originally printed in her award-winning column, ‘Veganize It!’ in VegNews Magazine.