Vegan Mac and Cheese

This recipe comes from the June 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times. To make this a complete meal, you can toss the finished Mac and Cheese with some cooked, chopped broccoli or even mix in some frozen spinach (when the sauce is cooking). The garlic is a little strong, so if you're not a huge fan, cut the amount. Also, I recommend using extra pasta because it makes a lot of sauce. Serves 4.

Per Serving: 364 Calories, 15g Protein, 9g Total Fat (1.5 Sat), 534mg Sodium, 3g Fiber, 6g Sugar.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups plain soy milk
2 1/2 Tbs. white rice flour
1 1/2 Tbs. large flake nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. granulated garlic
1 Tbs. granulated onion
2 Tbs. vegan margarine, melted
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1 8-oz pkg. rotelli (corkscrew) pasta

DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk together soy milk, flour, yeast, soy sauce, garlic, and onion in saucepan. Simmer 4 minutes, or until thickened (took more like 8 for me), whisking constantly. Whisk in margarine and mustard and simmer for 10 minutes more.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, toss with sauce.

Louisiana-Style Gumbo

I found this recipe in Vegetarian Times Magazine. I omitted the bell peppers. The recipe says that the okra is optional, but I can't imagine a gumbo without it! I minimized my chopping by buying pre-chopped onion and frozen chopped okra. I know the recipe calls for a lot of oil, but you need it to make a roux.

Serves 8. (Per Serving) Calories: 216, Fat: 14.5g, Protein: 3g, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 8g. (Does not include rice)

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup flour
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 small green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
3 carrots, sliced (2 cups)
1 parsnip, diced (1 cup)
1 cup fresh or frozen sliced okra
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Rice of choice (Cook as directed on box/bag, time it with the gumbo)


DIRECTIONS:

1. Stir together oil and flour in Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot until smooth. Cook over high heat 10 minutes, or until roux turns a dark caramel color, stirring constantly.

2. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Stir in all remaining ingredients and 4 cups water. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 40 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Serve over rice.