Veggie Mac N Cheeze

I already have a recipe for Mac N Cheeze on this blog, but I think this one is my New Favorite Thing. It's a great way to get kids to eat cauliflower - without having any clue they're eating it. It takes some time to make, but it is well worth the effort.

1 head cauliflower, core removed and sliced into large chunks
2 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
2 c. dry macaroni noodles (whole wheat is best)
2 T. olive oil
1 T. dijon mustard
1 T. yellow or white miso paste
1/4 c. nutritional yeast (less if you find the taste of nutritional yeast to be too strong)
1/4 t. nutmeg
Real Salt (if needed)
Bread crumbs

Fill a large pot with hot water and bring to a boil. Put cauliflower pieces in boiling water and cook for 25 minutes, or until very tender. While cauliflower is cooking, bring broth and bay leaves just to a boil in a small pot. Once just starting to boil turn off heat and let sit while cauliflower finishes cooking.

Remove cauliflower from pot with a slotted spoon and put directly in blender. Keep water boiling and add macaroni noodles. Cook five minutes, drain, and soak in cold water to stop the cooking.

Add olive oil, mustard, miso, nutritional yeast, nutmeg and salt (if using) to the cauliflower in the blender. Add broth (remove bay leaves first) and process on medium speed for about 1 minute or until completely combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Coat a 13x9 cooking dish with a small amount of olive oil or with non-stick cooking spray. Pour sauce over macaroni noodles, stirring to combine. Pour noodles and sauce into baking dish - the sauce will be runny and there should appear to be a little too much sauce for the noodles (remember, they're not totally cooked yet). Top with bread crumbs - about 1/2 cup or less should do it.

Bake macaroni in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until macaroni is tender, sauce is bubbly and bread crumbs are starting to brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.