Baked Daiya Mac and Cheese

Pardon the crap photo. I was too hungry to try for a better shot.

Mac and Cheese! Who doesn't love it? Clearly, you have no soul if you're in Mac and Cheese haters club. Well, anyway, I needed (yes, I NEEDED) some mac and cheese today. I always loved macaroni and cheese, especially when it's baked. So, I had a go at making a vegan version and it was a mega hit. We absolutely LOVED it! It made enough for 3-4 people, but two of us ate it all. Oink oink!!

I based this version on my previous stovetop version of my Daiya Mac and Cheese with a few little changes. I baked this up in an 8x8 inch baking dish, and it fit perfectly. I might add some sauteed onions into the cheesy goodness next time I make it. I think it'd be pretty rad.

What I used:

• 1/2 pound medium shell pasta
• 1 1/3 cups Daiya cheddar plus a little more to sprinkle on the top before baking
• 1/3 cup Daiya mozzarella
• 3/4 cup plus 2 TB almond milk
• 3 1/2 TB  Earth Balance 
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 -2/3 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp onion powder
• 2 TB nooch (nutritional yeast)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• salt to your liking
• about 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

What I did:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray your baking dish with a light spritz of cooking spray. Set aside. 
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the box. While the pasta is cooking, get another pot and start on the next step.
3. Heat the empty pot over medium heat. Add the milk and Earth Balance. Whisk in the spices and flour. Bring to a light boil, then add the cheese. Turn the heat to medium-low and keep whisking until the cheese is nice and melted and creamy as all hell. 
4. By now, your pasta should be done. So, go ahead and gently mix the drained pasta into the cheese sauce. Remove from the heat. If it's too thick, mix in a little more milk to loosen the sauce up a smidge. 
5. Pour the mac and cheese into the baking dish. Sprinkle a little Daiya cheddar over the top of the mac and cheese. Then sprinkle the bread crumbs on the top.
6. Leave uncovered and bake for 15 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned.