Vegan Mac and Cheese with Summer Squash

Tonight I had not intended to make a vegan mac and cheese, it just happened that way. I was going to make a cheese sauce, when I discovered I didn't have the right kind of cheese! So...I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to make a vegan cheese sauce, and it would be much healthier for me as well! To make the sauce I used some silken tofu and macadamia nuts to make it creamy, and some miso, and nutritional yeast to give it some flavor, as well as some garlic and dijon for that zip! Roasted pattypan squash and scallions, were added me not being one to leave veggies out of anything! This meal ended up being a big bowl of comfort that could be mistaken for something gut-busting if you didn't know what was really in it...but in reality was what comfort food should be, comforting and good for the body. The "cheese" was creamy, and flavorful and as I was eating it I was glad I didn't have the right type of cheese and made what I had!

Vegan Mac and Cheese with Summer Squash
Serves 4
"cheese" sauce:
1/4 cup toasted macadamias

12 oz silken tofu

1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp light miso
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sea salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper
soy milk to thin if necessary

6 pattypans, cut into 1 inch pieces
olive oil
8 oz pasta

4 scallions, sliced

1/4 cup fresh basil
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Combine all cheese sauce ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth, adding soy milk if necessary to thin. Place in the top part of a double boiler, and heat until hot. Meanwhile, toss pattypans with enough olive oil to coat and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Roast squash until just tender, and remove from oven. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions, and drain. Add pasta back to the pot, along with squash, scallions, and basil. Pour heated sauce over, and toss to coat. Serve immidiately while hot.