What child doesn't LOVE Chili Mac? Parents face the daily challenge of providing healthy food for their kids and making foods their kids eat. Despite efforts to feed our kids healthy food, the availability of junk food is a daily struggle. Our schools are full of vending machines packed with junk food. Teaching our kids how to eat and what to eat is our responsibility as parents. So, I took my favorite chili mac recipe and turned it into vegan chili mac.
When I transitioned my family to a plant-based diet, I struggled to get everyone on board. Regardless of how old your children are, if they have been introduced to processed foods, the switch may not be as easy as you think.
In fact, at one point, your kids might refuse to eat! But it won't last long, and you are stronger than they are. The key, however, is to stay strong and be consistent, and the transition will go as smoothly as you hope it will, I promise. What is my secret? I started organizing a list of the foods my family love, and luckily, the transition was easier than I imagined. For example, my first 'veganzied' creation, vegan chili mac, was my first family success!
Feeding our children real food and teaching them how to eat is our job!
So, let's be honest. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese are junk. Yes, I said it. And it contains no nutritional value, nor does any other store-bought macaroni and cheese. Despite the labels and claims that milk "does a body good," we all know differently. Instead, milk and other dairy products are poison, but kids are kids, and they like what they like.
So, the goal is to make our kids food they love just as much as the foods we inadvertently introduced them to when they were little.
And, I am guilty of this as well.
Instead of focusing on guilt and "I wish I would have fed my kids better food," we need to move forward and teach our children the value of whole quality foods that tastes better than the junk food they have learned to love.
Kids don't drive themselves through the drive-thru!
Although parents are all busy at work, carpooling to sports, and other activities, stop making excuses about not having time to cook quality food for your family. Skip the drive-through and the boxed meals.
Instead, meals like Vegan Chili Mac can be made ahead of time, except the noodles, so when you get home from football or your child's sporting events during the school year, you can easily throw vegan chili mac together in 15 minutes or less.
However, meal prepping is the key to providing quality meals ready in a hurry.
The secret to vegan chili is vegan cheese sauce.
One of my favorite creations is my Vegan Cheese Sauce. Not only is it oil-free, but I use Vegan Cheese Sauce for a variety of recipes by simply adding or deleting some simple ingredients. For example, I use this sauce for:
- The Best Ultimate Vegan Lentil Black Bean Burrito Ever
- Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip Fat-Free and Fabulous
- Chili Cheese Dip
- Mustard Cheese Dip
- Tater Tot Nachos
- Vegan Guilt-Free Potato Nachos; A Game Day Treat!
- Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Mexican Lasagna
- Cauliflower Nachos
- Healthy Mac and Cheese
As a result, you can make one batch of sauce and use it for various recipes throughout the week.
SO, WHAT'S IN THIS OIL-FREE NACHO CHEESE SAUCE? ONLY VEGETABLES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT!
"CHEESY" SAUCE
- Idaho potatoes, washed, scrubbed, skin left on
- Carrots
- Nutritional yeast
- Lemon juice
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Vegetable broth
- Tamari, liquid aminos or soy sauce
- Jalapeno
- Hot sauce (I used Chalupa)
- Water
And, it's easy to make!
- Wash three averaged sized potatoes; cut into large chunks (leave skins on potatoes)
- Clean and cut three large carrots and chop them the same size as potatoes
- Place in a pot and cover with water
- Add a few sprinkles of salt to the water
- Boil for 20 minutes
- While potatoes are boiling, put the vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, jalapeno, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, hot sauce, and soy sauce in a blender.
- Drain potatoes and carrots
- Put potatoes and carrots into a blender; blend until smooth
- The mixture will be thick; add water
- Transfer 'cheese' mixture into a medium-sized saucepan
VARIATIONS AND WAYS TO MAKE IT MILD OR MAKE IT SPICIER
- Add a can of Rotel tomatoes (do not blend) for a nacho cheese dip
- Remove Jalapeño and hot sauce and add a Tablespoon of liquid smoke for a smokey cheese sauce
- Like it a little hotter? Add an adobe chili pepper
I use the sauce on top of grilled fajita burritos, or you can serve with chips, or on top of a potato, broccoli, or anything else you like spicy and cheesy.
How to make vegan chili
To make vegan chili mac, I use one of my favorite Vegan Chili Recipes!
Regardless of what vegan chili recipe you choose, it works excellent as a second meal using leftovers to top your mac and cheese.
For instance, any chili recipe can be made ahead of time and used for the top vegan chili mac.
- Vegan Chili Recipe
- White Bean Chili
- Crockpot Butternut Squash Pinto Bean Chili
- Three-Bean Mega Veggie Chili
- Coney Chili Sauce The Real Deal
MAKE-AHEAD CHILI:
- Cooked lentils
- Meur Glen Organic Tomato Sauce
- Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
- White onion
- Red pepper
- Black beans
- Garlic, minced
- Jalapeno, seeded and diced (leave out if you don't like a little spice)
- Vegan chili seasoning
Not only can you top the macaroni off with chili, but you can also add some tortilla chips for a bit of crunch!
If you have extra noodles, keep them separate from the cheese sauce. You should reheat items separately for the best leftovers.
Are you looking for kid-friendly recipes the whole family loves?
- Crunch Wrap Supreme Recipe
- Vegan Oil-Free Lentil Tacos
- Vegan Hungarian Goulash
- Oil-Free Vegetable No Fried Rice
- Cashew Miso Mac and Cheese Topped with Coconut Bacon
- Baked Tater Tots
- Tater Tot Nachos
- Vegan Coney Chili Sauce.The Real Deal
- Creamy Spicy Vegan Sausage Pasta
- Beet Burger
- BBQ Cauliflower
- Vegan Sloppy Joes
- Vegan Macaroni Salad
- Vegan Corn Dogs
- Carrot Dogs Recipe
Vegan Chili Mac
Ingredients
Make ahead chili:
- 2 bags Beyond Meat Crumbles pea protein; or 2 cups cooked lentils
- 2 cans Meur Glen Organic Tomato Sauce
- 1 can Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 large white onion diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced (leave out if you don't like a little spice)
- 1 package vegan chili seasoning
Oil-Free Nacho Cheese Sauce
- 1 recipe Oil-free nacho cheese sauce
Instructions
Prepare the Chili:
- Saute garlic and onions in a large skillet
- 2 cups cooked lentils
- Add all other ingredients, simmer
- Chili is best when it sits for a while, so making it ahead is perfect.
- Put it in an airtight container and let it marry in the refrigerator while you are at the game
Cheese Sauce:
- Wash three averaged sized potatoes; cut into large chunks (leave skins on potatoes)
- Clean and cut three large carrots and chop them the same size as potatoes
Cover in water - Boil for 20 minutes
- While potatoes are boiling, put the vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, jalapeno, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, hot sauce, and soy sauce in a blender
- Drain potatoes and carrots
- Put potatoes and carrots into a blender; blend until smooth
- The mixture will be thick; add water
- Transfer ‘cheese’ mixture into a medium-sized saucepan or refrigerate if you are using later
Putting it together:
- Heat Chili in a separate pan from the 'cheese' sauce.
- Cook choice noodles according to directions
- When noodles are done, drain and rinse
- Return drained noodles to pan; add cheese sauce (only half) This makes a lot, so you only need half. You can use the other cheese sauce for something else
- Toss macaroni until covered in sauce
Notes
VARIATIONS AND WAYS TO MAKE VEGAN CHEESE SAUCE MILD OR MAKE IT SPICIER
- Add a can of Rotel tomatoes (do not blend) for a nacho cheese dip
- Remove Jalapeño and hot sauce and add a Tablespoon of liquid smoke for a smokey cheese sauce
- Like it a little hotter? Add an adobe chili pepper
- I use the sauce on top of grilled fajita burritos, or you can serve with chips, or on top of a potato, broccoli, or anything else you like spicy and cheesy.
Tips
- If you have extra noodles, keep them separate from the cheese sauce. You should reheat items separately for the best leftovers.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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