Vegan Florentine Mac and Cheese

Soooooo happy!

I am not vegan. I am dairy intolerant. Which for mac and cheese purposes, means I'm pretty much vegan.

So I have been having mac and cheese withdrawals for many years now. Since I discovered Daiya brand cheeses, life has been better. But mac and cheese has still been elusive. All the recipes I had wanted me to use the Daiya shreds and that came out gummy. But then came the Daiya wedges. And balance has been restored to my cheese-iverse!

Since I can't leave the recipe alone, I have made this with veggies. Broccoli may have to go into the next batch. Mmmm, broccoli and cheese.....

I may never eat anything else ever again. Unless it's Chinese food.

Vegan Florentine Mac and Cheese

8 oz small elbows or other pasta

2 cups very chunky tomato sauce

2 cups spinach

2 tbsp Garlic Olive Oil

1 cup chopped vegan cheese, 

          I like Daiya brand wedges, 1/2 cup cheddar, 1/2 cup jack style

1 cup soy or almond milk

2 tbsp vegan butter, like Earth Balance

2 tbsp nutritional yeast 

         or ground almonds

2 tbsp french fried onions

Salt and Pepper

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Rinse in cool water and put in an oven safe casserole dish.

Heat the oven to 350degrees. 

In a small saute pan, heat the olive oil to medium high heat. Add in the spinach and a little salt. Stir in the tomato sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the spinach is completely wilted. Combine in the dish with the pasta.

In a small sauce pan, heat the butter until it is melted. Put in the cheese shreds and slowly stir in the milk and a pinch or two of black pepper. Heat, stirring often, until all the cheese has melted and the sauce starts to thicken. About 5 minutes.

Pour the sauce into the pasta mix and stir until the sauce is evenly distributed. Sprinkle with the nutritional yeast or ground almonds and fried onions.

Bake for 10 minutes. The top should be toasted.