thai-centric mac-n-cheese 

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 - Posted by urban vegan at 4:03 PM

Mac-n-cheese for rule breakers

Warning: this is not your grandma’s mac and cheese, although it’s every bit as comforting and decadent. This vegan version is infused with subtle Thai influence. Its silky creaminess comes thanks to coconut oil and coconut creamer (Don’t worry! It’s much more figure-friendly than traditional mac and cheese.) And a sprinkle of red pepper flakes infuses the sauce with an assertive bit of heat, which balances beautifully against the sweetness. You can use any brand of regular or whole grain elbow macaroni, but I prefer Barilla’s; each piece has little ridges to help the sauce stick to the pasta. The recipe will appear in the new cookbook.