Baked Macaroni 'cheese'

I've officially finished all my assignments and uni is over for the semester! and how did I celebrate my first night of holidays after handing it in? I was so shattered after the final push to get it done through the constant hay fever hell that I fell asleep at 9pm! haha

Now to dig up something that has been in my drafts for a while. I made it for the darling husband as a yummy hearty vegan dinner to show how amazed and impressed I was that he decided to do the November Vegan Easy Challenge. I said nothing- it was his idea and I am ecstatic! He's doing very well too. Although he's developed an addiction to vegan sausages that is rather expensive. Sill, I'm happy to get them if he's healthier for it. 

Granted this isn't something I would usually eat (and shouldn't because it hurts my tummy) but a small serve with veggies didn't kill me. It was nice to eat the same meal as the other half once in a blue moon. If I wasn't making it for the one who hates vegetables I would have added some veg puree (carrot/spinach/zucchini) into the sauce and peas in the bake. But you can always do a separate salad or veg dish to serve it with.

Baked Macaroni 'cheese'

It's like digging for treasure... or an avalanche!

mmm crunchy topping...

and all the goodness inside!

Makes 6 serves
1 packet macaroni
Sauce:
1 packet silken tofu
1.5 cups light soy milk + (I would add extra next time because it was just right before it went into the oven. So lets say 2.5 cups? or 1.5 soy milk + 1 cup water?)
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tsp stock powder
1 tbsp dijon mustard
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
Topping:
4 slices of bread
2 tbsp rice bran oil

• preheat oven to 180
• cook pasta
• combine sauce ingredients in a pot
• warm through
• blend with a stick blender/bamix
• drain pasta
• combine sauce with pasta in casserole dish--- if you want to stop at this point it tastes awesome already here...but the extra makes is special.
• tear up bread into tiny bits and drizzle with oil
• top pasta with bread
• bake at 180 until the top is golden
• enjoy this wonderfully filling pasta bake!

The tofu in the sauce makes this much more filling than normal pasta, you get full quicker and stay full longer. Win-win. You can easily make this gluten free by using gluten free pasta and bread or if you want the flavour for less carbs & calories then just make the sauce to go over some veggies! It would taste wonderful as cauliflower 'cheese' mmm.
Hope you have a wonderful day and have a chance to get outside, I know I will after being stuck inside working for so long!
All the best xxxx