When I was in Portland for the VidaVegan Conference in August, Julie Hasson asked me to demo a recipe from my new cookbook for EverydayDish.tv in her killer kitchen. It was my first time cooking in front of a camera – a daunting task – but Julie and her husband/ cameraman/film editor Jay made the entire process stress-free and fun. I won't lie: watching yourself on film is unnerving; you notice every "um," every facial expression, and every hair out of place. Oy! Luckily, Jay's creative editing turned my little "flub" at the end of the clip into a bit of comic relief.
If you like this clip and recipe, I'd appreciate it if you could like/share/rate it on YouTube.
Thai-Centric Mac and Cheese
- 4 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1 organic red pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 sweet onion, roughly chopped
- 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
- 2 T coconut oil
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- Up to 1 T red or yellow curry paste [Optional]
- 4 T coconut creamer or coconut milk [I recommend So Delicious brand]
- 1 cup coconut, hemp, soy or rice milk
- 1 cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ tsp sea salt, or to taste
Cook macaroni according to package directions, but make sure it is staunchly al dente. It should remain slightly chewy. Drain. Meanwhile, in a food processor, whiz together red pepper, sweet onion and carrot until it almost forms a paste.
In a large sauce or soup pan, heat coconut oil over medium low. Toss in red pepper flakes and curry paste, if using, and cook for 1 minute or so to infuse the oil. Toss in the veggie paste and cook until fragrant and soft, about 7 minutes.
Stir in the milk and the coconut creamer, then whisk in the nutritional yeast. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook until it thickens slightly (If you prefer a thicker sauce, simmer slightly longer. If you prefer a thinner sauce, reduce simmer time.)
Add drained pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat and add salt.
Variations: Add 2 cups of any of the following during step 5: steamed broccoli or cauliflower, peas or corn, edamame, or chopped organic spinach.
