Vegan Mac and "Cheese" - GF

People tend to laugh in your face when you say you're having cheese-less mac and cheese...but you know what? "Cheese-less mac and cheese" sounds a whole lot better than "mac and rice milk, Daiya and nutritional yeast"! This recipe is so creamy and rich, yet it takes the same amount of time and effort it takes to make regular mac and cheese and it's much better for you!

I won't lie to you. This recipe does NOT taste like Kraft Dinner. I have yet to try a vegan mac and cheese that does, but frankly, after already following a dominantly plant-based diet for a few months, when I tried KD again, it tasted much more greasy, salty, and fake than I remembered. So, no. This recipe does not taste like plasticky, processed junk food. It tastes more akin to a gourmet Parmesan mac and cheese that you would order in a fine Italian restaurant. It is so thick and rich, yet still light and fresh. You'll feel energized and satisfied after eating it, instead of the usual heaviness and sleepiness that tends to accompany boxed mac and cheese.

I include cubed tomato and a bit of tomato paste in my mac and cheese recipe, but feel free to omit it. I find that the added acidity helps cut through the richness of the dish. Look at it as the healthy version of putting ketchup on your mac and cheese. I use brown rice pasta, which is gluten-free, but use your own preferred pasta type and shape! This recipe also uses nutritional yeast. This yeast is chock full of vitamin B12 and has a light cheesy taste. Don't be intimidated by this ingredient. It's actually quite easy to find, usually in the natural foods section of your grocery store. I use Bob's Red Mill Large Flake.   

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked brown rice pasta
- 2 tsp vegan butter (eg. Earth Balance)
- 2 tsp tapioca starch (or cornstarch or AP flour)
- 1 1/2 cup rice milk (nut milks are fine, too, but they make it more sweet)
- 3/4 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese (eg. Daiya)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 cup diced tomato (drained), optional
- 4 tsp tomato paste, optional
- paprika, to serve

Method:

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the starch/flour. Let darken for about 5 minutes, whisking often.

2. Slowly whisk in the milk. Leave to thicken, whisking often. It should be suitably thick after roughly 10 minutes, but if it gets too thick, thin it out with more milk. If it's too thin, leave it a little longer.

3. Remove the white sauce from the heat. Whisk in the cheese substitute and yeast. After they're well mixed in and the mixture is smooth, stir in the salt, lemon, and spices.

4. Pour the "cheese" sauce over the pasta. Add in the tomato, if using, and stir it all up. Sprinkle with paprika and serve!


Enjoy your "mac and rice milk, Daiya and nutritional yeast"!
   

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Mini Meatloaf

I personally don't really enjoy meatloaf. It's one of those things that either you love or you hate and it's just not for me. However, my father and niece love it and they absolutely adore this recipe. It's moist and flavourful and can easily be personalized to suit their individual tastes. I prefer making mini tins so I don't have to make a massive loaf for only two people. If you like leftovers or are cooking for more people, double the recipe to use in a normal sized loaf tin.

Makes 1 mini loaf tin (serves 3)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup breadcrumbs or crushed saltines
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup milk
- drizzle of olive oil
- 1/2 onion
- 2 stalks celery
- 3-4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 450 g (1 lb) of minced/ground meat (my family likes a blend of beef and pork)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup ketchup or tomato paste
- 1/4 cup of your favourite barbecue sauce (I like Diana's Chicken and Rib sauce)
- 1/8 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp cooking molasses (optional, but adds a deep, smoky taste)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Combine the crumbs and parsley in a bowl. Stir in milk and leave to absorb.

3. Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil into a hot pan and soften the onions and celery. Set aside to cool.

4. Alright, time to get your hands dirty! Place the softened vegetables, meat, bacon, and garlic in the bowl with the crumb mixture. Use your hands to break down the meat and mix everything together.

5. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl until slightly frothy. Mix into the other ingredients and season well with salt and pepper.

6. To prepare the sauce, mix all of the ingredients in a clean bowl. Make sure the brown sugar is well incorporated.

7. Place meat  mixture into an oiled loaf tin and brush a bit of sauce over the top. Bake for 1 hour, or until a thermometer placed in the centre reads the appropriate temperature for your selected meat.

8. Let cool slightly and serve with the remaining sauce.

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Triple "S" Stir-fry

The three S's of this stir-fry are "Sweet'n'Sour'n'Spicy"! It's a simple dish that's filling and delicious, but takes less than half an hour to make. It's also an excellent way to use up leftover rice. The beautiful trio of flavours provide a rich depth to every mouthful. Balance out the flavours to your personal preference. If you like spice, add more spice. If you like sour, add more sour. Personalize it to your taste!

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients:
- drizzle of olive oil
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, halved lengthwise and sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, halved lengthwise and sliced
- 4 carrots, sliced into discs
- handful of mushrooms, sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- juice of 1 lime
- large drizzle of honey
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne, to taste
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 4 cups prepared rice

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a hot pan.

2. Toss in the onion, peppers, and carrots and cook until soft.

3. Stir in mushrooms and crushed garlic.

4. Pour in the lemon and lime juice to get some awesome sizzling action going!

5. Drizzle a spoonful or two of honey across the top of the veggies and mix in.

6. Sprinkle in the garlic, chili and cayenne powders, as well as the salt and pepper. The honey will help the spices really stick to the veg.

7. Let simmer 1-2 minutes, then serve hot over rice.

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Shepherd's Pie

Here is a recipe for my hearty Shepherd's Pie, perfect for a cold winter's night! The garlic in the potato topping makes this farmhouse classic even more divine. This recipe is very special to me, as it is the first real dish I ever cooked on my own from scratch. You can mix and match ingredients, depending on what you prefer or the kind of diet you follow. Remember, at the end of the day, you're the one eating it, so personalize it!

A beautiful, garlicy, fluffy, yet crunchy mashed potato topping

Ingredients:
- olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
- 2 lbs ground meat/meat substitute (I use a 50/50 beef/pork mix)
- 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbs crushed tomato (ketchup works, too!)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 cups beef or veggie stock

- 2 tbs flour
- dash salt and pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- 5-6 large potatoes
- 4 cloves garlic, whole and peeled

Method:

1. Soften onions, celery and carrots in a large, hot pan with a drizzle of olive oil.

2. Make sure the pan is really hot and add the meat and cook fully through.

3. Mix in Worcestershire sauce, tomato, and garlic. Gradually, stir in stock. Bring to a simmer and stir in flour. Sprinkle in salt and pepper.

4. Partially cover meat mixture and let it continue to simmer on low for 45 minutes.

5. While the meat is bubbling away, bring the potatoes and garlic to a boil in a pot of heavily salted water. Cook until tender when pierced.

6. Preheat the oven to 350°F

7. Drain the potatoes and garlic and mash them together, adding a little milk, cream or butter, if you like!

8. Pour the meat mixture into a deep baking dish. Round, square, rectangular, just make sure it all fits! Even out the meat across the bottom and season with salt and pepper.

9. Dollop those amazingly garlicy potatoes over the meat and smooth evenly. Use a fork to fluff the potatoes and make a pattern on top(I usually opt for a crosshatch design. Get creative!). Season with salt and pepper.

10. Bake in the oven for roughly 30 minutes, until the potatoes begins to crisp into a lovely golden brown colour. Serve and share!

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