It’s Halloween week and that means costumes, candy and throwing those house rules for health out the window as we slip into some synthetic costumes and collect high fructose corn syrup made into all different crazy kinds of things. Right?! Today I have a recipe for you that will become a family favourite – a baked dairy-free mac and cheese, with vegan and non-vegan options.
I have heard of all kinds of alternative Halloween options, whether it’s reverse trick-or-treating, allowing your kids to binge their sweet little faces off on you-approved treats, or just letting them go door-to-door and collect candy, inviting them keep a few things and then donating the rest.
What I want to share with you today is not really any of those things, but how to send your kidlets (and yourselves) out into the night with some hearty fuel in the belly so that maybe everyone will be too full to fill their faces with candy.
I remember the pre-Halloween meals my mom would craft up. Sometimes they were big mighty lasagnas, and then we moved into the homemade submarine sandwich. It was the kind of food you could eat with minimal supervision and kind of just kept everyone happy.
gluten-free and dairy-free mac and cheese
And so today, I am sharing a seriously warm, hearty, and veg-infused dairy-free mac and cheese that I know you are going to LOVE (and the kiddos will to). It’s gluten-free and dairy-free, with a vegan and meaty option depending on how you roll.
For extra vegetable power, you can blend cooked veggies into the dairy-free macaroni and cheese sauce such as:
1 16 oz package of gluten-free macaroni noodles (I used the Tinkyada brand brown rice elbows)
1 14oz package sprouted firm tofu or 2 cooked chicken breasts (first browned in a pan)
2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite size pieces
2 cups cauliflower florets, cut into bite size pieces
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.*
Place all dairy-free cheese sauce ingredients into your food processor or high speed blender and mix until perfectly smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Cook noodles as directed on package.
Wrap tofu in clean cloth and place books or plates on top to press out extra liquid and allow tofu to become more firm. If using chicken*, slice into bite size pieces and lightly brown and set aside.
Lightly steam broccoli and cauliflower just until fork tender.
Once tofu is well pressed, cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
Once pasta is ready, in a large mixing bowl, mix together pasta, broccoli, cauliflower, tofu/chicken and cream sauce.
Transfer the mix into an oven-safe casserole dish or glass pyrex and bake uncovered for 30 minutes*.
Remove from oven and serve.
Notes
* The baking step is optional. If you are omitting the baking, please ensure your chicken is cooked through before serving. If using tofu, lightly sauté before mixing into pasta.
Prep Time:20 mins
Cook Time:40 mins
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