One of the hardest things for many people to give up when they’re thinking about going vegan is cheese. I get it, cheese is delicious. But if you’re like me, cheese doesn’t always love you back 😬 It can be tricky business when trying to find a substitute, there’s a lot of REALLY gross cheese substitutes… In my experience, I have always had better luck making my own cheese stuff than buying it (except for the Chao brand, their stuff is amazing). So to prove it to you, here is my butternut squash mac and cheese.
Yes yes, I know what you’re thinking already…. “cheese” made with butternut squash is not really cheese… why are you putting vegetables in it?! Trust me on this one. Just like pumpkin, butternut squash adds a creaminess and richness to any dish you add it to, and for this one, it is the perfect vessel for the “cheesiness” you need for the mac and cheese. And ones you add all the tangiest from the other ingredients, you’ve got cheesy goodness! Here is what you need for the “cheese”:
- butternut squash
- nutritional yeast
- non dairy milk (almond or soy is fine)
- dijon mustard
- lemon juice
- salt and pepper
For the pasta part, you can use what you like, but I like to get as much nutritional bang for my buck in this one. So I use the lentil protein pasta for added protein and fiber (also gluten free) and it’s perfect in there.
And I confess that I have been known to throw in some random veggies like peas or carrots when I try to sneak them in for little man…
