Wow! Great mac and cheese (less the cheese)

Oh my goodness!
I made a cheese-free mac-n-cheese today. It was amazingly delicious.
Not one noodle left.
Even my 23 mo old ate it to the tune of three helpings, sticking his little bowl up and requesting, "More" after each serving was gone. Now, there's a tiny bit of cayenne in it, but it didn't bother my kids at all (didn't make it too "hot" for them). But you could leave it out if you're concerned your kids won't like it.

If you have nutritional yeast on hand, you could add a tablespoon (I did). Honestly, it was hard for all of us to accept there was no cheese in it. I mean, it didn't taste just like mac-n-cheese, but it was a good substitute. And it *was* as creamy as its dairy counterpart. Also, if you use Earth Balance (or Smart Balance Light, though not the HEART-RIGHT version), you could eliminate dairy entirely for those who are lactose intolerant. Make it.
It's good!!!

4 quarts water (to cook the pasta)
1 tablespoon sea salt (I eliminated this as it was for boiling the noodles only)
8 ounces macaroni (I used whole wheat)
4 slices of bread, torn into large pieces (I used whole wheat)
2 tablespoons PLUS 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated margarine (ie. Earth Balance)
2 tablespoons shallots or green onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup red or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped (I used 1 large yellow potato)
1/4 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup water
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 (I used bottled juice)
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 the 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cover 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 bread crumbs, and dust with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.

Toni