Creamy Vegan Mac ‘n Cheese with Roasted Vegetables 

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39b7607a-cd46-4a80-a32c-8ad162993d7dI love a good story, especially when it involves food. I want to know where the recipe came from as well as the why and the who. Because food, well, isn’t all that special without the context; it is the story that connects us with food and those around us. So you wouldn’t be surprised that I was disappointed to find out that one of our most beloved and consumed meals had, in fact, a rather boring past. I remember asking my mother when she first started making her macaroni and cheese, fully expecting to hear some remarkable tale of origin. Instead, discovering the recipe was from my cousin (Jeff), someone who doesn’t cook, who had acquired the recipe in his high school Home Ec class (an elective that was only intended to provide a quick and easy introduction to cooking). I also took that course in high school and the only lasting memory I have involves sampling a piece of slimy, unseasoned tofu-a terrible first experience-so I don’t find that class to be all that reputable.

Anyway, while I don’t particularly appreciate the origin of my mother’s macaroni and cheese, it was always a good one. We ate the dish regularly, likely due to its ease in preparation without sacrificing flavor (some credit due to my cousin’s Home Ec class for that). Most of the preparation is done without a stove and in the microwave so I imagine it’s even quite possible to whip up this gourmet mac ‘n cheese in a dorm room, if so desired.

I recall learning how to make this recipe at a fairly young age. First, my mother would boil the pasta (small shells, usually Barilla or some comparable brand) and set it aside. Meanwhile, she would retrieve an oven safe dish and toss in the butter which would be melted in the microwave. Then the flour was added to make a roux, followed by the milk which she whisked vigorously to combine. After the mixture was smooth, she would toss in a couple cups of medium sharp cheddar cheese and place the dish back in the microwave, whisking the mixture periodically until the cheese had melted and was combined with the other ingredients to form a thick, creamy cheese sauce. The cooked pasta was then added to the sauce and placed into the oven for 20 or so minutes until it was bubbly and hot. That was it – quick, simple but extremely satisfying and decadent. I ate this recipe well into my twenties. While there were some who tried to convince us to add sliced up hot dogs in our macaroni or sprinkle bread crumbs on top, we typically ate this dish pure, which I preferred.

Fast forward several years and I decided I needed to find a healthier version of this beloved meal. I experimented with a hummus-based dish (just didn’t cut it for me), butternut squash macaroni and cheese, and a number of versions with roasted veggies (like this excellent one here). I then realized a rather substantial intolerance to dairy. I recall feeling at a loss for a while, uncertain if I’d experience the same nostalgic and satisfying experience of this comfort food dish again without the unfortunate physical effects of consuming dairy. Consequently, I went on a search for a new recipe-sans cheese but still as satisfying.

I finally came across this recipe for a vegan macaroni and cheese based off one of the best I’ve tried at Plum Bistro in Seattle. I spent the last year playing around with the recipe and have settled on a variation I think is best. I’ve added in some touches I think make this a more well-balanced meal (think roasted vegetables) and eliminated some of the spice and bread crumbs to create my favorite macaroni and cheese yet.

This dish is comforting and delicious. It can be customized with paprika, hot pepper flakes, bread crumbs, and using whichever veggies you prefer. I imagine it may even go over well with some bacon tossed in. Additionally, I’ve eliminated the pasta and made a gratin of sorts with just the “cheese” sauce, roasted Brussels sprouts and cauliflower which I brought to Thanksgiving last year and was an absolute hit.Processed with VSCO with g3 preset

Vegan Mac ‘n Cheese with Roasted Vegetables (GF + V)
Modified from Vegan Richa, Plum’s Spicy Mac n Yease
Serves 3-4 as a main course or 5-6 as a side

Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
1-2 heads of cauliflower, cut into medium-sized florets
1 bunch Brussels sprouts, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
couple pinches of sea salt

Sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (e.g., Namaste)
1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
1/2 cup water
1-2 pinches sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp Tamari
4-5 tbsp nutritional yeast

1-12 oz bag gluten-free pasta (I used Tinkyada Brown Rice pasta, any shape)

Directions
Preheat oven to 450º degrees. Toss Brussels sprouts and cauliflower with olive oil and salt and roast for 40-45 minutes until soft and crispy. Toss halfway through to ensure the vegetables roast evenly. Broil for a few minutes at the end for some extra color on the vegetables, making sure to keep a close eye so they don’t burn.

While the vegetables are roasting, boil a pot of water with a pinch of salt. Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, heat a medium-sized sauce pan over medium. Add olive oil and flour. Whisk to create a roux, taking care not to burn the mixture. Add milk and water to the pan and whisk until smooth and the sauce begins to thicken. Add salt, garlic powder, oregano, mustard, Tamari, and nutritional yeast. Whisk to combine. If desired, use a little extra milk to thin sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. This would be a good time to add any red pepper flakes, paprika, and/or cayenne pepper (approximately 1/4-1/2 tsp), if you prefer some heat.

Add pasta directly to the sauce. Mix in roasted vegetables (including crispy bits – the best part). Serve immediately.

If leaving out the pasta and serving as a vegetable side dish, I toss the vegetables into a shallow baking dish and cover with the sauce. This can be served immediately or warmed in the oven with foil on top.

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Grilled chicken vermicelli bowls

Vermicelli Bowl10It seems that most people have their standby restaurants – those they turn to after a long day at work, to visit with friends, or when a craving hits. I have a couple that come to mind, many of them in my neighborhood or fairly nearby. However, one of my standby’s is worth the trek into the city, up the hill, and through the traffic on a busy weeknight. For at least the past year, Ba Bar, which serves up Vietnamese street food in Seattle, has been a central meeting point for dinner with a couple of dear friends from graduate school. Once a month, we pick an evening after work to meet for dinner and catch up on work, family, and life in general. While we venture out and try other restaurants from time to time, we always come back to Ba Bar.

There is one dish in particular that sold us on Ba Bar. While they are known for having high quality phở, drinks and macarons, it is the vermicelli bowls that bring us back time and time again. And for me, the grilled chicken vermicelli in particular. This bowl tastes like summer – it is full of crisp salad, cucumbers, cold rice noodles, grilled chicken, chopped peanuts, and a perfectly light fish sauce vinaigrette. I love this bowl and have a difficult time not finishing every last bite.

My husband and I recently spent 10 days in Europe. While traveling through Iceland, London and Copenhagen, I expected to eat a lot of fish, open-faced sandwiches (or Danish smørrebrød), Indian food, and other local delicacies. I didn’t anticipate finding Vietnamese food that rivaled Ba Bar (or some of the best taco’s I’ve ever had, but I’ll save that for another time). This restaurant, Nha Trang, was located right down the street from our Airbnb in Copenhagen in the hip and multicultural neighborhood of Nørrebro. We found this place at nearly nine at night, desperate for a quick meal after a long day of walking. The menu was extensive but I settled on my standby from the states, their version of the chicken vermicelli bowl. Once the food came out, I immediately started devouring the bowl. The chicken was grilled on skewers which were strewn out across the rice noodles. Small pieces of lettuce were poking out beneath. I poured over the fish sauce and scattered the small bowl of chopped peanuts. The chicken was unbelievable. In fact, so delicious that I dragged by husband back on our last evening in Copenhagen to have this bowl one last time.

Inspired by these meals, I was determined to find a recipe for a chicken vermicelli bowl to make at home. Luck would have it, the first recipe I clicked on was close to spot on. And fortunately this meal is somewhat on the healthy side because I have made it three times since we returned home two weeks ago. I hope you enjoy this wonderful bowl as much as my family and I have these past couple weeks.

Grilled Chicken Vermicelli Bowl
Modified from The New York Times
Serves 2 with leftovers

INGREDIENTS
4 organic chicken thighs
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or smashed in a garlic press which I prefer)
2 shallots, finely chopped or grated on a microplane grater
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 package dry rice vermicelli (I used this brand from Whole Foods)
1 small head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 cucumbers, sliced into half moons
¼ C fresh mint, chopped
¼ C unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

FISH SAUCE VINAIGRETTE
½ C water
Juice of 1 lime
4 Tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
1 clove garlic, chopped or smashed in a garlic press
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS
Marinate the chicken breasts in the garlic, shallots, salt, pepper and the vegetable oil for 20 minutes.

Bring three quarts of water to a boil. Add the rice vermicelli and cook three to four minutes or until it is almost soft. Strain in a colander and set aside to cool.

Combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette and mix together thoroughly. Set aside.Vermicelli Bowl3Chop the lettuce, cucumbers, peanuts, and mint. In two wide-mouthed bowls, divide the lettuce and cucumbers. Top with the vermicelli.
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Grill the chicken on high. Sear it at 450° for 2-3 minutes per side. Turn grill down to 300°-350° and cook until done. Cut into long bite-size pieces.

Arrange the chicken on top of the vermicelli. Pour three to four tablespoons of the vinaigrette on each salad. Sprinkle with fresh mint and peanuts and serve.
Vermicelli Bowl9I encourage my guests to toss their bowls to mix the ingredients which allows the vinaigrette to evenly coat the ingredients and provide a more complex set of flavors with each bite. Enjoy this outside on the patio on a warm Spring evening like I did last night.