June 18, 2009
Vegan Chili Cheese Chorizo au Gratin Recipe
My fridge and pantry were both looking pretty bare the other night. All I had was 1 yam, 1 small potato, a leek, left over vegan chorizo, soy milk, flour and my usual spices and condiments. I decided to throw it all together with the cheese sauce I use to make my soy-free mac n' cheese. You know, sometimes an empty fridge is a blessing. I still can't get over how tasty this dish came out. I was worried Scott would think it was a hot brown mess but he turned to me and said "OMG Babe, this is AWESOME!" Word. I feel silly posting the recipe but more or less wanted to post this (even if it is a hot mess) to remind us all that even when we feel like we have nothing in the house to eat, we can still make a great, healthy vegan meal using pantry and fridge staples, a few veggies and a little imagination. Eating up dry goods is also a great way to save money and it keeps the stock piling at bay. I think I need to do more pantry challenges!
For this meal, I added 1 cup of crumbled vegan chorizo, 1 tbsp chili powder and 1 tsp cinnamon to the soy-free mac n' cheese sauce and then smothered the potatoes and leek with it au gratin style (an onion would have also worked). I baked it in a square casserole dish for about 40 minutes (until the potatoes were fork tender).
Recipe:Soy-Free Mac n' Cheese
Description
A quick and easy vegan mac n' cheese that doesn't use tofu -- or fat! Miso can have soy in it, so be careful when selecting your miso if you have an allergy or dietary need (chickpea miso is soy-free!).
Ingredients
1¼ cups whole wheat pasta, uncooked
1¼ cups plant-based milk
⅓ cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp yellow miso paste
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp turmeric
Instructions
Cook pasta according to directions, immediately drain, rinse with cold water and set aside. Whisk all remaining ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a near boil and turn heat down to low. Stirring occassionally, allow the sauce to thicken up. Combine with macaroni, stirring to coat. Garnish with smoked paprika if desired.
