Vegan Mac n Cheese
Give the gift of food with this Vegan Mac n Cheese in a jar. Fast, easy, and delicious! From the new book, Vegan Food Gifts.
I’ve always said that food is my love language.
Some people have the gift of words. Others find their greatest joy in spending time together. And while those too are important for me I believe one of the best ways I express my love for others is in preparing food. Every year at Christmas I start making my gifts of homemade chocolate truffles and cookie mixes, granola and themed gift baskets and there is little else that gets me in the holiday spirit than the process of making these gifts. So as you can imagine when I first heard about this book my initial thought was, “a book made just for me!” and I was first in line to get myself a copy.
Vegan Food Gifts, as the title suggests, is a Do-it-Yourself guide to making all sorts of edible gifts: baked goods, dried mixes, sauces, liqueurs, and more. Written by cookbook writer extraordinaire, Joni Marie Newman and photographed by the talented Celine Steen (Have Cake Will Travel) this book is truly something beautiful.
The first chapter, Cut Along the Dotted Line is dedicated to making your food gifts beautiful. This chapter is filled with instructions and templates for making basic packages: envelopes, boxes, recipe books, and even reusable felt gift bags and includes actual cut outs for beautifully illustrated gift tags and recipe cards to be given directly with the gifts.
After that the book is broken into 5 chapter with different kinds of edible gifts.
- Ready to Gift: Delicious gifts ready for immediate enjoyment
- Just Add Water: Make-at-home gift mixes for anytime assembly
- A Tisket, a Tasket, a Yummy Vegan Basket: Themed gift baskets
- Jars Full of Goodness: Jams, jellies, sauces, and other yummy stuff in jars
- Last Call!: Homemade liqueurs, infusions, mixers, and more.
Each chapter is FILLED with amazing recipes like Sea Salt Caramels, Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix, Buffalo Hot Sauce, and Bloody Mary Mix.
Throughout the book Joni gives you tips on how best to “gift it” as well as recipe cards (like the one below) to go with any of the gifts that might need instructions. Between the illustrations, recipes, tips, and cut outs Joni gives you everything you need to gift the perfect edible gifts.
There is no better time than now to get yourself a copy of this book. It’s one you will use again and again and again. But before you go, Joni is generously letting me share one of her recipe from the book, this Vegan Mac n Cheese, with you today AND giving away a copy to a lucky reader! Enter below for a chance to win.
*All the photographs used in this post are taken from the book Vegan Food Gifts and are used with permission from the author.
Give the gift of food with this Vegan Mac n Cheese in a jar. Fast, easy, and delicious! From the new book, Vegan Food Gifts.

Cuisine: American
Keyword: Vegan Mac n Cheese
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 339 kcal
Author: Joni Marie Newman
- 3 cups 15 ounces, (413 g) raw cashews
- 2 cups (240 g) nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup (64 g) arrowroot powder
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) onion powder
- 1 tablespoon (18 g) sea salt
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) ground mustard seed
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried green onion
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or chili powder for less heat
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Using a very dry blender or a coffee grinder, grind cashews in small batches into a very fine powder. To a container with a tight fitting lid, add all other ingredients and shake vigorously until well mixed.
- Package in clear cello bags or a jar with tight fitting lid.
Once opened, store in the refrigerator for up to a month, or freeze indefinitely.
To make mac and cheese: Add a heaping 1/2 cup full of mix to 1 cup of nondairy milk or water in a sauce pot and heat over medium, constantly stirring until thickened. Add to one pound of prepared pasta for instant mac and cheese!
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Tracie says
Cookies, particularly biscotti… but I haven’t tried to make them since I went vegan.
Pam says
So many great recipes! How do I choose? 🙂
Chemese says
This would be great to have.
Aimee says
I love giving vegan food gifts! Usually I give sweets like cookies, candied almonds, or banana bread, but I can’t wait to read this book for new ideas!
Jasmin says
A well-written and lovely vegan gift book! I normally give vegan cookies and pies!
Jennifer M. says
It’s usually chocolate chip cookies and banana bread, but I just recently found a fantastic recipe for vegan snickerdoodles, so I’m going to gift those this year!
Sarah T says
I love to gift baked goods or chocolate bark.
EVA says
I like REALLY elaborate dishes, almost akin to Thanksgiving side dishes. Sure, we all dig cookies, but sometimes it gets monotonous and half go uneaten due to everyone’s worry about their waistline. I like to cook ’em something they can use!
Otherwise, spices and seasonings are always nice classes. I’m in art college, so that gives me an excuse to get all creative with decorating the jars even though I’m FAR from crafty!
deb m says
I love baking and giving muffins!
tiffany ferriola says
my favorite food to gift – by far – is COOKIES! of all shapes, kinds, sizes, flavors. yum.
Sarah says
Ooh, I love this! Last year I gifted Vegan Richa’s gingerbread cake in a jar—so good!
Natalie Cartledge says
Chocolate chip cupcakes is my favorite food to gift.
Carmela says
Cookies!
Bill Davis says
Banana bread. My neighbors love it.
Laura Black says
My favorite DIY gifting idea is mason jarred meals and beverage mixes. These gifts are the kind that give all year long….or at least until the mixes run out. 🙂
Terri Cole says
I make an eggnog bread (with Silk nog) that has dried fruit soaked in bourbon and pecans in it. This year I’m making gingerbread granola too.
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
I’m so excited about this recipe!! And what a delightful gift this would make! Thank you for your inspiration and this fantastic giveaway!
sarahem says
Cookies. Who doesn’t love to get a batch of homemade cookies?
Michelle says
I love this idea of smoothie mixes in a mason jar! I found it on Pinterest of course 🙂
http://www.greenthickies.com/diy-portable-instant-smoothie-mixes/
Corrine G says
Chocolate chip cookies. Always a favorite. =)
Lydia Claire says
Banana Bread, so yummy!
Jessica says
I love making cookies and gifting them to family and friends! For those further away, I make mixes in jars.
sarah says
cookies! duh!
Kathy says
My favorite food to gift is bread. I love bread so I enjoy gifting it 🙂 Cookies are a pretty good second gift!
Nicollette D says
I love giving any vegan food gift–especially yummy stuff to my omni friends.
Faith VanderMolen says
Wow. Perfection in a jar! That instant mac and cheese mix is such a great idea! If I knew any other vegans I would definitely make that for them…guess I’ll have to make it for myself:)
Jessica says
raw vegan desserts !
Barbara Leuthe says
homemade cinnamon buns
Nicole says
cookies or pancake mix with syrup
Jeanette says
Fave food gift = pure maple syrup or quality coffee beans.
Devin says
I like to make granola and cookies for gifts, especially around the holidays.
Chrissy says
I’ve only gifted cookies–but not through the mail. That never works very well on the receiving end :p
Emily says
What a delicious book, and that mac and cheese sounds delightful. My favorite food to gift is jam because it’s easy to make lots of it in summer & have them ready in winter. And who what’s not to like about a jar of fancy jam?
Nikki says
Homemade chocolates are my favorite gift to give. The possibilities are endless!
Megan says
This book looks so fun! I want to make everything! Great giveaway.