RECIPE TIME: Vegan Mac 'n Cheese Casserole (with Greens!)

A cold front hit the city on Saturday and like clockwork, my body sent me a request - mac 'n cheese, please! (when it gets cold, I crave soul food - the kind that's warm, hearty and chock full of full of fat and calories!). But of course, I just happened to have my gluten and dairy-intolerant friend coming over for dinner, and I figured she wouldn't appreciate my complete lack of regard for her dietary needs.

So I took to the web and a little hunting turned up the perfect substitute - The Detoxinista's Vegan Mac 'n Cheese. When you Google 'dairy-free, gluten-free mac 'n cheese', you find lots and lots of recipes with fake cheese, of which I am NOT a fan. The great thing about this recipe is that it uses cashews to create that creamy consistency that every good mac 'n cheese needs! It's a nod to the whole foods movement (for the record, you don't need 'fake' anything to make a good vegan look-alike!).

Ready to make some mac 'n cheese? Maybe for Thanksgiving?  Let's do this thing!

This step is optional but makes it so much better! Preheat the oven to 350F. Chop a few handfuls of broccoli into small pieces (I used about 3 handfuls of Trader Joe's pre-washed florets).

Grab your seasoning: crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt and pepper.

On a large baking tray lined with parchment paper, combine a light sprinkle of your seasoning with 3-4 Tbs. coconut oil (or other high-heat oil) and mix to coat the broccoli well.

Roast for approximately 20-25 minutes - until the broccoli starts to brown slightly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook 8 oz. of pasta according to the package directions (To make this dish gluten-free, I used Trader Joe's Organic Brown Rice Pasta Fusilli. You can also use quinoa pasta).

Now you'll need 1 1/2 cups of the secret ingredient - raw whole cashews.

Pulse them in a food processor or other high powered blender until they are finely chopped.

Now grab your other 'cheese ingredients': 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (approx. 1 small lemon), 3/4 cup water, 1/2 clove garlic smashed, 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (I use Bragg's brand), 1/2 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard, a pinch of turmeric and a pinch of cayenne pepper...

...and combine with the chopped cashews in the food processor. Process until smooth and creamy.

Look at that delicious sauce! Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, drain it and return it to the pot you cooked it in. Add the roasted broccoli and pour the 'cheese' on top to mix. At this point, you can serve it as mac 'n cheese (the more creamy route) OR pour it into an 8x8 square baking dish, sprinkle with paprika and black pepper and bake at 350F for 30 minutes (for the casserole route).

Now take a bite and tell me you don't miss the dairy and gluten! (NOTE: this recipe serves 4 - as a side).

My dinner companions seemed to like it, and for the record, I had seconds! So there's no reason to fear this vegan substitute! It's finger-lickin' delicious AND so simple to make!

Tomorrow, guest blogger Sara Warner of Pidge's Pantry shares her favorite pumpkin-inspired recipes! Stay tuned (and stay warm!).

Saturday Splurge: Traif (Williamsburg Brooklyn)

Image courtesy of nomsnotbombs.com

This week's 'Saturday Splurge' is quite controversial indeed! Traif is the brainchild of Jason Marcus (former chef at Eleven Madison Park and La Bernardine) and his girlfriend Heather Heuser. They named their new venture Traif  - which comes from the Hebrew term 'trefa', meaning non-kosher food. The restaurant proclaims it's message loud and clear on the website... 'Celebrating pork, shellfish, and globally inspired soul food.'

Was I inspired? YES!
If you keep a kosher kitchen should you go? NO! 

The menu is meant for sharing, and although the dishes are small, they pack a huge flavor punch. We started with a complimentary tasting of their watermelon gazpacho, which was incredibly light and refreshing. Then we really got down to business.

First up was the strawberry-cinnamon glazed baby back pork ribs. Thankfully, we were smart enough to order this dish. Unfortunately for us though, it was the BEST dish of the night, making it an extremely tough act to follow. The sweetness of the strawberries gave the rib sauce a perfect hint of flavor without being overpowering. Perfection!

Next up was the moulard duck confit atop a sweet corn and shiitake mushroom saute. The duck was definitely good, but the saute stole the show. The combination was so mouth watering that once again, I forgot to take a picture.

After the duck, we enjoyed a salad with Georgia peaches, peanuts, cherries and blue cheese. The blue cheese was actually grated on top, giving the leaves a slight coating of cheesy, snowy goodness. I'd like to personally thank the person who decided to grate that cheese on top. Amen. Hallelujah!

Last, we enjoyed crispy soft shell crabs on a bed of crushed avocado with pineapple sambal. The seafood and avocado blended perfectly for a light and delicious summer dish.

Let me tell you, the bacon doughnuts (yes, you heard me correctly) were definitely tempting when it came to the dessert menu, but I just didn't think I could respect myself in the morning (I have a nutrition blog, ok?).

If you've been good all week and need a place to reward yourself, make a reservation at Traif. I promise you'll enjoy it.

TRAIF
229 S. 4th St.

Brooklyn, NY 11211

347*844*9578