Vegan Mac 'n Cheese and Black Eyed Peas with Greens

Growing up, my Mom (hi Mom!) had this tradition of making us eat a spoonful of black eyed peas on New Year's Day to bring good luck. Ever since I moved out on my own, I get a call every year asking if I ate my spoonful of peas. This year, I decided to do something a little different with my spoonful of peas. I added some minced garlic, jalapeno and beautiful swiss chard to brighten up my peas...not to mention homemade vegan macaroni and cheese, Shannon's favorite. Thanks, Mom, for passing on a family tradition!

Once again, I forgot to take a picture of our meal. However, I did upload one from the VegNews website for the mac 'n' cheese. Happy New Year to you all. May this new year of life bring you happiness, abundance, joy and much love.


Black Eyed Peas with Greens
Serves 2
Total Time: 15 minutes

1 15-ounce can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1 bunch swiss chard, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

In a medium skillet, saute garlic and jalapeno in a small amount of oil over medium-low heat for one minute or until fragrant. Add peas and greens; saute until greens are tender, approximately 5-7 minutes. Add soy sauce and mix together.

VegNews Vegan Mac 'n' Cheese
Makes 6 servings
Total Time: 1 hour

• 4 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 8 ounces macaroni
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• 4 slices of bread, torn into large pieces
• 2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
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• 2 tablespoons shallots, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup red or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1/3 cup onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup water
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• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. In a colander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside. In a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 tablespoons margarine to a medium-fine texture. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion, and water, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft. In a blender, process the cashews, salt, garlic, 1/3 cup margarine, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne. Add softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender and process until perfectly smooth. 

In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta and blended cheese sauce until completely coated. Spread mixture into a 9 x 12 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs, and dust with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.