The very best vegan mac and cheese!

So, today was an interesting day. A man came into work and started insulting Russians as I walked in. He then asked me what kind of Russian I was, and then offered to buy me goulash (which is, uh, a Hungarian dish). He's lucky I didn't backhand him into last year. I was really tempted.

As a result, I'm pretty grumpy. That and I didn't get home from work until two hours after I was supposed to. I'm tired. I'm angry. But I guess that's what blogging is for, right?

(Watching shows on Netflix about cupcakes isn't really hurting, either.)

But yesterday I made something AWESOME, and I want to share this recipe with you.

This was one of my favourite foods before I went vegan. This is also the recipe I've fought over for YEARS now. I only finally figured this out a couple of months ago (I think it was around my birthday?) and ugh, I'm SO glad. I haven't tried baking it yet because it hasn't made it to the oven! But if you try baking it, let me know! I know I'll try it one of these days. I swear.

Also, one of my biggest issues with mac and cheese was always the pasta-to-sauce ratio. But I think I've finally nailed it!

ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese, room temperature (I used Tofutti brand for this because it's not sweet like Daiya)
• 1 wedge of Daiya chedder cheese, cubed
• 1/2 Tablespoon ketchup
• 1/2 Tablespoon soy sauce (I like to use the low sodium kind, it's not as strong)
• 3 Tablespoons of vegan butter (yay Earth Balance!)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• optional: bread crumbs, to top

Note: The clear bowl in the lower right is the ketchup/soy sauce combined.

instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Cook it for the MINIMUM time. You'll finish cooking the pasta when you put the sauce together, so no worries. (I cooked mine for about six minutes.) Drain and return it to the point, turning the temperature down to low-medium.
2. Add the remaining ingredients (minus the bread crumbs). Stir until well combined.

That's basically it! It's soooo easy. I recommend starting with the cream cheese and then adding in the Daiya cheddar cubes, as they'll take the longest to melt.

I was so happy when Daiya came out with the wedges. I mean LOOK at this. It even has air pockets like cheese would have! I recommend using this over the shreds as it melts into a better "liquid" but I think you could squeeze by with the shreds if necessary.

This was when I had the Tofutti cream cheese and everything but the cubed cheddar, basically. But it'll look better in a second.

We're getting there! Look at that melt. Ugh I can't even deal with the emotions that surge when I see this.

We're almost there! Look at that color. (If you're still not satisfied and you want your insides to glow in the dark like when you eat Velveeta, you can add some turmeric to it to brighten the yellow color.)

But really, I think this looks like perfection!

I hope you guys enjoy this dish! Let me know if you make it! And if you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to send me an email.

Have a good day!

xo, Kate