Amy's Organic Rice Macaroni with Dairy-Free Cheeze

I LOVE macaroni and cheese.  It was always one of my favorite dishes growing up...the ultimate comfort food, in my opinion.  I love the warm, creamy, salty, cheesy combination.  Since becoming vegan, I have been on the lookout for the best mac'n'cheeze - dine-out, pre-packaged, or recipe.  I did find an excellent mac'n'cheese at The Chicago Diner.  It was the best vegan cheesy dish I'd had since becoming vegan (in fact, everything I tried there was a little bit of vegan heaven).  And since my discovery of Daiya, I have been able to create a satisfactory bowl of mac'n'cheeze whenever I really have a craving.

Sunday, I had an impromptu extraction of my wisdom teeth (thanks to an infection developing in one of them).  I stayed with my parents Sunday night and let them take care of me for about 24 hours, then was ready to get home and take care of myself.  Since my body is not at all used to being on meds, and I was so incredibly drowsy, I did NOT want to cook anything at all.  I drove straight to my favorite store, Georgetown Market, in search of some vegan comfort food that I would not have to prepare myself...something hot, creamy, and soft that wouldn't be difficult on my mouth.  But, soup was not what I wanted.  As I walked past the frozen foods, I spotted a box of creamy goodness.

I'd been holding off on trying Amy's mac'n'cheeze.  I try not to buy packaged foods due to their high sodium content, as well as a slew of other undesirable ingredients.  BUT, I didn't care this time.  I wanted mac'n'cheeze, and I didn't want to make it.  I grabbed it and couldn't wait to get it home and eat it.

I heated it in the oven (I use my microwave so sparingly that I don't even keep it plugged in) according to package directions.  I added some sea salt and fresh ground black pepper and dug right in.  It was probably not the best choice for my aching mouth, and it was a bit of work to keep away from those back sockets, but it was worth it.  It was as good as I could've expected from packaged, frozen mac'n'cheeze.  I was immediately glad Amy's had chosen Diaya for their dish, because it didn't have any of that plastic taste that I've noticed from some of those other vegan cheeses.  It was creamy and soft.  And the gluten-free pasta didn't make a bit of difference in the taste or texture.  (Disclaimer:  I have used gluten-free/rice pasta to cook with at home, so I am used to it.  I don't know if this would make a difference to those who may not be familiar with rice pasta.)

The only drawback - This dish is plenty large and satisfying, but does not come at a cost.  The main reason I had decided not to try this before was because of the high caloric and fat content.  I would not want to eat this on a regular basis, but rather as an occasional indulgence.  And it's definitely a stand-alone dish...it needs no accompaniment.

Summary:  Need some good comfort food?  Not a great cook?  Don't feel like cooking?  Go for it!  You won't be disappointed.  But be careful - indulge in this one too often could lead to a little extra around your middle ;).