Vegan MoFo VII: The Thing About Coconut Bacn

...is that all of it never makes it into the recipe.  I will, straight up, eat this ish by the fistful.  It's so easy and delicious!  Alls I do is add soy sauce and a little liquid smoke to some coconut flakes and bake until crispy.

This Mac n' Cheeze Monday is brought to you by way of Tyler Florence.  When I saw his version with peas and bacon, I was intrigued.

peas, coconut bacon, onions, greatness.

Mac n' Cheeze w/ Peas and Coconut Bacn

adapted from this Tyler Florence recipe

serves 3-4 as a main

½ lb rotini, macaroni, or shells
1 ½ Tbsp margarine or oil
1 ½ Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups warm unsweetened coconut milk (canned)
½ cup warm water
2 ¾ cups shredded mozzarella and cheddar Daiya
salt
pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil
½ yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
pinch dried thyme
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
½ cup coconut bacn

some of them try to rhyme, but they can't rhyme like this

Cook the rotini according to package instructions until al dente. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt the margarine in a large saucepan, and whisk in the flour. Stir with a whisk for about a minute and slowly add the coconut milk and water (or whatever non-dairy milk you like). Cook until smooth, and stir in the cheese. Cook until cheese is melted, and fold in the rotini. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in a casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until bubbly.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the peas and coconut bacn. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, sprinkle the pea mixture on top and snarf like it's nobody's business! Mmm hmmm.