Vegan Mac-n-cheese with Green Peas

This is as simple as it gets. Vegan comfort food that even your kids will love. This mac-n-cheese has become a staple at our house because it's quick and easy. 

You could buy one of those boxed vegan mac-n-cheese meals, nothing wrong with that. I, honestly, use them when I'm short on time. I try to make this more than the boxed stuff just because we enjoy cooking as a family. 

This recipe is simply the old standard recipe I used to make before going vegan, veganized. I absolutely love taking a family recipe and making it vegan. It's a great way to prove that "anything you can make, I can make vegan!" Mac-n-Cheese is not the exception to that saying,  it's the proof that it's always true!

Looking for more great vegan recipes? Try my Sriracha Black Bean Burger, Buffalo Chic Pea Quesadilla, Stuffed Eggplant Parm , Baked Spinach and Artichoke Pasta , BBQ Tempeh over Southwestern Cauliflower "Rice" , & Triple Berry Cobbler

Recipe:

1 ( 1 lb.) box of pasta, cooked according to box directions & drained well.

3 Tbsp vegan butter 

3 Tbsp flour 

2.5 cups unsweetened plant milk 

1 tsp. yellow mustard 

3 slices of Chao creamy original cheese* 

4 slices of Daiya cheddar slices*

Salt, pepper and paprika to taste 

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed & warmed up in a microwave safe dish

Method:

1. Prepare you pasta according to the package and drain well.

2. In a large skillet, heat butter and flour over medium heat. Whisk constantly to prevent lumps. Cook 3-4 minutes, until well combined and "blonde" colored.

3. Add plant milk, salt, pepper, paprika and mustard. Whisk again to break up any lumps. Continue whisking occasionally until mixture comes to a boil and becomes thick. 

4. Add your cheese and stir until it all melts into a creamy cheese sauce. 

5. Toss pasta and green peas with your cheese sauce. Allow to cook a few more minutes until everything is heated throughly. 

6. Sprinkle with a little paprika before serving. 

Make 4-6 servings.

* If you don't have, or can't find, the Chao or Daiya I used in this recipe, use any combination & brands you like. Just make sure your cheese combination equals about 2 cups for this recipe. 

You can also use 1/2 - 3/4 cup of nutritional yeast in place of the cheeses I used in this recipe. It will not be as creamy, but the flavor will be similar. 

Vegan Fried Chick'n & Gravy

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Anything you can make, I can make vegan!! I have said it over and over. This dinner tonight was my offering to my husband, who used to adore Southern fried chicken and gravy. This is my first attempt at a vegan version of this family classic. I watched several videos and read a few recipes before coming up with my plan. This recipe is really a mixture of all those recipes and my own knowledge as a Southern lady. No processed vegan "meats", this is all homemade. Get ready for a great Southern meal! This would be great served with my Vegan "Cheddar Bay" Biscuits.

Looking for more Southern Vegan Classics? Try my Fried Green Tomatoes, Classic Sunday Dinner, Black Eyed Pea "Caviar", Pulled Jackfruit & NC Style Greens, Big Country Breakfast, Butternut Macaroni & Cheeze, & Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Recipe:

2 cups vital wheat gluten 

2 packs rapid rise yeast

1 Tbsp. Rotisserie chicken seasoning*

Salt & pepper to taste 

1 3/4 cup warm water

32 oz. Vegan chick'n broth (or veggie broth, if you can't find it)

2 cups flour

2 Tbsp. Corn meal

Paprika, salt and pepper 

1 cup unsweetened plant milk 

Method:

In a large mixing bowl, mix vital wheat gluten, yeast, seasoning, salt, pepper, and warm water. It will form a thick, sticky dough. (Don't worry, this is exactly what you want. )

Cover bowl with a damp towel and allow dough to rise for about 30 minutes on the counter. 

Heat your broth to boiling while dough is rising. Also start warming up your oil over medium heat.  

Mix your flour, corn meal, paprika, salt and pepper in a dish.

After 30 mins, separate dough into 12 - 16  pieces (depending on size desired. They will expand about 3x while cooking in broth). Stretch to form a chick'n shape. Do not pull too thin!! You want it to be thick for the best texture. (About 1/2" thickness is perfect.)

Drop your pieces of chick'n into the boiling broth, about 3 pieces at a time. Let cook about 2 minutes on each side.

Remove pieces of chick'n from the broth and coat in flour mixture. 

Drop a few drops of water in your oil to test. If it's hot enough, it will "pop".

Place your flour coated chick'n pieces into the hot oil carefully. 

Cook until golden brown on both sides. 

Let drain and cool on a paper towel. 

While chick'n cools, pour out most of your oil from your frying pan.

Add about 2 Tbsp. of the flour you used to bread your chick'n to the oil left in your frying pan.

Whisk to form a thick paste.

Add your remaining vegan chick'n broth (which should have reduced while you boiled the chick'n in it) to your oil & flour. Whisk until smooth & then add your plant milk.

Let your gravy come to a boil, whisking frequently. Add salt & pepper to taste. Gravy will thicken as it cooks. Once it reaches your desired consistency, pour over your chick'n. (Add a little more flour if it is still too thin until you get a nice thick gravy. Remember to re-season if you add flour!)

Makes 12- 16 pieces of chick'n. 

* if you can't find Rotisserie chicken seasoning, you can mix paprika, salt, pepper, garlic and thyme to make your own seasoning. 

Vegan Cabbage Rolls with homemade spicy, smokey tomato sauce

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Cabbage rolls are such a simple meal. They are easy to make & a common dinner  in most homes. These are a little different than the cabbage rolls your mother used to make. I top these cabbage rolls in my homemade tomato sauce that's a bit spicy and smokey thanks to the paprika in my recipe. There are a few ways to customize this recipe. If you don't like it spicy, use plain diced tomatoes. Make it your own! 

Looking for Vegan Family Style Meals? Try my Family Style Dinner, Kale Stuffed Eggplant Parm, Vegan Family Breakfast, Baked Spinach & Artichoke Pasta, Cheezy Butternut Pasta, Vegan Chick'n Casserole, 3 Cheeze Ziti Al Forno, & Summer Berry Cobbler

Recipe :

Tomato Sauce-

Olive oil 

3 Tbsp. diced onion

1/2 cup veggie broth 

1 tsp. smoked paprika 

1 (14 oz.) Can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (use plain if you don't want it spicy)

1/4 cup tomato paste 

Salt & pepper to taste 

Cabbage Rolls -

8 cabbage leaves

8 oz. Mushrooms 

1 small red pepper, diced

1 small purple onion, diced 

2 cups cooked quinoa (or rice)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning 

Salt & pepper to taste 

Method :

Preheat oven to 350°

1. Prepare the cabbage leaves:

Remove tough stem from cabbage leaves with a sharp knife and steam for about 6-8 minutes until softened, but not mushy. Don't over cook the cabbage. It will cook some more in the oven. You just want it soft enough to work with when stuffing & rolling the cabbage. 

Set cabbage leaves aside to cool.

2. Make the sauce:

 In a skillet over medium heat, sautée 3 Tbsp. of onion in a bit of olive oil until soft and translucent.

Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, veggie broth, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat through. 

Add warm tomatoes to blender and puree until smooth. 

3. Prepare the filling:

Cook mushrooms, onions and peppers in a skillet over medium heat with Italian seasoning.

Remove from heat and add quinoa (or rice) & 1/2 cup of tomato sauce to mushrooms . Mix well. 

4. Assemble:

Place 1/8 of mushroom & quinoa on each cabbage leaf.

Fold both ends of the cabbage over the filling. Roll tightly, like a burrito, sealing off the filling. 

Place cabbage rolls into a greased casserole dish and top with sauce.

5. Bake:

Bake 20 minutes. 

Makes 4 servings. 

Easy Sunday Dinner

My daughter asked for her favorite meal pre- vegan : beef tips over mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, sweet & smokey green peas, and lemon roasted veggies. Challenge accepted!! Anything can be veganized, trust me.

We are in love with all things Gardein. They make great meatless products and help make those pre-vegan meals happen again. We don't use a lot of "fake meats", but this meal was so delicious, it was totally worth it!

Looking for more Vegan Dinners?  Try BBQ Tempeh over Cauliflower Rice, Kale Stuffed Eggplant Parm, Sriracha Roasted Tofu with Rainbow veggies, Chick'n in Mushroom gravy with Stuffing And finish with Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake

Recipes:

Vegan garlic mashed potatoes:

8 cups potatoes, cubed
1 tsp turmeric
Olive oil
2 cup plant milk
1/2 cup vegan butter
5 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
Salt & pepper

Beefless tips & gravy:

2 (9 oz.) Bags of Gardein beefless tips
8 oz. of sliced portobella mushroom
Oil to sautée
2 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. Earth Balance ( or other vegan butter)

1/2 tsp arrowroot  (or corn starch)
1/2 tsp each- cumin, garlic powder & thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup vegetable stock

Lemony Roasted Vegetables:

6 cups fresh vegetables  (whatever you have on hand will do)

1 large lemon, juiced
1-2 tsp. Italian seasoning 

Salt and pepper to taste

Smokey Sweet Peas :

2 cups of frozen sweet peas
1/4 cup of vegetable broth
1 tsp paprika

Method:

Preheat oven to 400°.

In a large mixing bowl, toss potatoes with turmeric, salt and pepper and enough olive oil to coat potatoes.

Pour potatoes on to a baking sheet.

On another greased, sheet pan, add mixed vegetables. 

Squeeze fresh lemon juice over vegetables. Add Italian seasoning, and pepper to taste.

Place both sheet pans in the oven to roast for about 30 minutes.

While vegetables and potatoes roast, prepare your beefless tips *and gravy...

In a deep skillet over medium high heat, brown Gardein beefless tips *, mushrooms and onions in a little bit of oil.

Remove beefless tips, mushrooms and onions from the skillet and set aside. * Do not remove liquid from the pan, it will help flavor your gravy!

Add butter and flour to the skillet. Whisk until the lumps are gone.

Add vegetable broth, cumin, garlic powder, thyme, arrowroot, salt and pepper to skillet. Whisk again to combine.

Allow to come to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium.

Add 1/2 cup of plant milk and whisk again.

Add beefless tips and mushrooms back to the gravy. Cook an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow gravy to thicken.

While gravy thickens prepare your potatoes:

Melt 1/2 cup of butter over medium heat. Add crushed garlic.

Allow garlic to flavor butter, but do not let it burn. Once you smell the garlic, it's time to add the milk.

Add 2 cups plant milk to the butter and bring to a simmer.

In a large bowl, blend roasted potatoes, warm milk, salt and pepper with a hand mixer on medium, until smooth and creamy.

In a sauce pan over medium heat, warm up peas, vegetable broth and paprika.

Assemble :

Pour beefless tips and gravy over potatoes. Serve with peas and roasted vegetables.

Makes 4-6 servings

* If you can't find Gardein beefless tips, you can use any beefless tips, seitan, tofu or even just extra mushrooms. 

Serve with crescent rolls Or my Vegan cheddar Biscuits