Tonight I made a yeast-, gluten-, and dairy-free mac ‘n’ cheese and bbq tempeh ribs. The mac ‘n’ cheese was a hit in 5 out of 5 people and the ribs in 4 out of 5. Not a bad track record…We are making this for a large group of omni friends on Friday and I am sure it will be well-liked.
VEGNEWS MAC ‘N’ CHEESE
INGREDIENTS
4 quarts water
1 tablespoon sea salt
8 ounces macaroni ( for gluten-free we used Tinkayada pasta joy brown rice pasta shells with rice bran)
4 slices of bread, torn into large pieces (for gluten-free use kinnikinnick foods white sandwich bread)
2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated margarine (Earth Balance)
2 tablespoons shallots, peeled and chopped
1 cup red or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 (plus a little) cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup water
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4-ish cup of cheddar style Daiya cheese (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. In a colander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
In a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 tablespoons margarine to a medium-fine texture. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion, and water, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, 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 the blender and process until perfectly smooth. (if using Daiya cheese, add now)
In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta and blended cheese sauce until completely coated. Spread mixture into a 9 x 12 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs, and dust with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.
VEGAN WORCESTERCHIRE SAUCE
(Regular worcestershire sauce is not vegan, so shop carefully, or make your own using this recipe)
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon pepper
DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir thoroughly. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer 1 minute. Cool.
Store in the refrigerator.
SWEET AND STICKY BBQ SAUCE
INGEDIENTS
1/4 cup margarine
1 sweet onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp mustard
few dashes of hot sauce
DIRECTIONS
Melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic for 15 mins, until onions have cooked down and are nicely browned
Add the remaining ingredients and bring to bubbling. Simmer for 15-20 mins, until sauce thickens and gets a nice deep red color.
Strain sauce to remove onions and spoon over wings.
BBQ TEMPEH “RIBS”
INGREDIENTS
2 recipes of sweet and sticky bbq sauce
2 pkgs tempeh, sliced (westsoy original doesn’t have any barley in it, like most)
DIRECTIONS
Make the BBQ sauce. Transfer 2/3rds of the sauce to a large skillet and add sliced tempeh. Place on medium heat and bring to bubbling. Cook for 15-20 mins, or until sauce has thickened and mostly reduced. Baste regularly.
Add remaining sauce to pan and cook a few more minutes. Serve.
