Cheese please :)

Dairy....how can such an innocent name be so EVIL! Let me explain.  Dairy gets a bad rap lately for numerous reasons, but mainly it's inability to digest properly in our bodies. This can cause gas, bloating, nausea, (lactose intolerant people have it the worse) and it's extremely high fat and sugar content are definitely not good in my books. Now before you ask "what about calcium from milk", leafy green vegetables (think kale and spinach) are loaded with calcium and a heck of a lot easier for your body to digest. I'm not even going to get into some of the articles I've read about the poor mama cows who have to remain pregnant all the time to keep pumping out all that milk, OUCH.  Not to mention the hormones they are given which also end up in our bodies, no thanks.  I think you are getting the picture on where I stand.

So why all this dairy talk all of a sudden? Well it's Thursday night and I'm at home watching my fiance eat a huge bowl of Macaroni and Cheese and it smells delicious. I have been pretty much dairy free for at least 6 months (OK it's possible some really good aged cheddar or cookie dough ice creams has found it's way into my mouth once in a while) but for the most part I stick to my guns and don't really miss it. At this moment however, his concoction is smelling much more tasty than my chicken and broccoli dish I'm eating...again. He argues it's healthy because he's added roast beef and broccoli...I don't buy it.  Here is a pic of the roast beef he was using though that we cooked in the crock pot two nights ago. Still so much meat left, yummmm.

I haven't quite mastered how to re-create too many recipes that include dairy, the sauces can be tricky so I've called up my beautiful sister for one of her recipes. She eats mainly vegan and always makes the best soups and stir fries. She has a guilt-free/dairy-free Vegan Macaroni and Cheese recipe that is delish. I'm going try making my own batch this weekend and show my honey what HEALTHY Mac and cheese really tastes like ;)

Ingredients

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp raw cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (found at Community Natural Foods or Planet Organic in bulk foods)
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Sea Salt, to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Two sprinkles of white or black pepper (whichever you prefer)
1 + 3/4 cups nondairy milk (unsweetened almond milk works wonderfully and I recommend using this over soy or rice milk)
1.5 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tbsp light (yellow or white) miso paste (I prefer white, found at Community Natural Foods or Planet Organic)
1 tbsp lemon juice
6-8oz Rice Pasta or other Gluten-Free Pasta (cooked)
1 tsp truffle oil (optional, but HIGHLY recommended) (found at Community Natural Foods)

Cooking Instructions:

Place cashews in a large-sized bowl of the food processor and finely grind–just don’t let the cashews turn to a paste. 

Add nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper. Pulse three more times to blend in spices.
In a heavy saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch and oil(s). Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease heat to low-medium, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until cornstarch dissolves.
With the food processor running, gradually add milk/oil mixture to cashew/nutritional yeast mixture. Blend for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Next blend in miso and lemon juice.
Combine cashew cheese with macaroni noodles and serve.
*I often add steamed organic broccoli, zucchini, and or asparagus to this dish. You could add organic, grain fed meat as well to up the protein count. NOM NOM!!

*I don't have a full picture yet but here is what the sauce looks like from some my sis made. Pure almost cheesy goodness. Thank you sister for helping us enjoy some comfort food again!

If you have a favourite meal or dish and would like to try and health it up a bit,  please let me know and I'll see what I can do! Or if you've done this already yourself and are open to sharing, I will feature you on this blog. Food is MUCH better shared so let's all get cooking! (and my favourite....eating :)) *I've heard that comments people try and leave on my blog aren't working all the time and I'm honestly not sure why. I'm looking into things so hopefully I hear from more of you soon :)

Have a great night everyone and Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American friends celebrating today. And happy shopping on Black Friday tomorrow...sales sales sales!

Sending you many blessing and love,
Sam xo