Macaroni and "Cheddar" Dinner

When I was little, this was my favorite food ever. It had to be Golden Grain Macaroni and Cheddar, not Kraft. The box had a picture on the label, and I always begged my mom to serve up the macaroni just like the picture, with a hamburger patty, a wedge of tomato, and a sprig of parsley. I was really fond of reading the labels on boxes of food, once I learned to read, and I loved the photos and logos too.

My mom refused, but my Gramma was happy to do this for me. Macaroni and cheese became a real comfort food that I still really miss, after all this time, especially when I've been to San Francisco on a foggy day and I get hungry for dinner. My grandparents lived there, and every weekend that I came to stay my Gramma fixed macaroni and cheese, eventually without the hamburger patty, after I became a vegetarian.

Here's a video of this old advertisement, which I remember very clearly.

Without further ado, here is my vegan and completely homemade from scratch version of my favorite childhood dinner. I'd say it's just as good as I remember, but it's really better, since no one had to die for it, and it's actually fairly healthy, except for the white pasta.

Ingredients  

3 cups rejuvelac*
2 cups unroasted cashews
1 cup nondairy yogurt
1/2 cup plant butter
1/2 cup rejuvelac
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts 
2 tbsp mellow white miso paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp annatto extract
1 tsp agave nectar

2 cups organic elbow macaroni
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Soak cashews in rejuvelac overnight. Remove soaked cashews from liquid, and reserve 1/2 cup. Combine all the ingredients in a blender, and add the reserved rejuvelac. Blend at high speed to completely blended and very creamy. Adjust the color with the beet juice so that it resembles American cheese. 

You can place this in the fridge immediately, or allow it to culture for another day or two, if you want a sharper flavor.

Bring two quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large saucepan, and add macaroni. Stir and boil for six minutes, or til it is done to your liking. Add 1/3 cup of the cheese mixture you made previously, and adjust the seasoning with salt and/or pepper.

Serving Suggestion. The meatless burger is also homemade.

Nutrition Information 

Serving Size: 125 g 
Servings per Recipe: 4
Calories: 452    Calories from Fat: 121
Total Fat: 13.5g, 21% of Daily Value**
Saturated Fat: 6.2g, 31% of Daily Value
Cholesterol: 0 g, 0% of Daily Value 
Sodium: 162mg, 7% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 68.8g, 23% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 3.9 g, 15% of Daily Value
Protein: 3.0g  

Vitamin A 1%  Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 4%  Iron 23%
 
*Rejuvelac is made from fermenting sprouted grains. If you can't find it at your health food store, it is easy to make. Buy some whole wheat berries, sprout them til their tails emerge, then add four cups of water per one cup of sprouted grains. Allow this to ferment in a warm place til the liquid turns white and cloudy and a sour taste develops. Strain and refrigerate the liquid til needed.
** Based on a 2000 calorie diet.