'Smoked Gouda' Macaroni and 'Cheese'

I was so excited to try this recipe because I found a vegan gouda on the market. It's made by a UK company called Sheese, which also makes cheddar, blue cheese, and cream-cheese like spreads - all vegan! You can buy it here in the States through veganessentials.com.

For this recipe, first make some easy fresh breadcrumbs: place 1 (1-ounce) slice of whole wheat bread in a food processor and pulse about 10 times until you have coarse crumbs; set aside. I used the organic whole wheat from the Vermont Bread Company.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon vegan butter (such as Earth Balance) in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions and 2 minced garlic cloves; cook for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk.

Gradually pour in 2 cups plain soy milk (such as Silk), 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper, stirring whisking constantly. Bring to a boil, then continue to cook at a boil for about 2 minutes, until the mixture thickens. I stirred occasionally as the mixture came to a boil so the soy milk didn't burn on the bottom of the pan. Next, stir in 1/2 cup shredded vegan gouda (such as Sheese) and 1/3 cup shredded vegan cheese in place of Parmesan (here, I used the vegan mozzarella from Galaxy Foods); stir until the 'cheeses' melt.

Add 5 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach and 4 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked pasta). Stir until blended, then transfer the mixture to a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.

Note: I used the spelt macaroni from VitaSpelt. Using pastas from grain other than wheat can pack a nice protein punch - spelt macaroni has 9 grams per serving!

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. You'll have 4 servings of 400 calories and 1 and 1/4 cups each.


Cost:
whole wheat bread $4.39
green onions $0.99
plain soy milk $2.49
vegan gouda $7.49
vegan mozzarella $3.39
fresh spinach $2.50
elbow macaroni $2.69