Cheddar is something I still really miss being cruelty free especially when its all gooey and smothered over lashings of macaroni.... mmmmm... but I will never again be selfish enough to enjoy something at anothers expense... so I have learnt to live without it and in the meantime I will search for a good alternative!
Most of the recipes I have attempted have not matched up to the traditional macaroni cheese, I have even tried dairy free cheese sauce mix, but it tasted too much like celery for me - bleugh. It was when I first became cruelty free that I heard of a vegan cheddar known as 'Daiya', sadly unavailable in the UK, however Amys Kitchen make a ready meal macaroni cheeze using it, I have been on the hunt for it ever since.
It was a couple of weeks ago that I discovered it in a health food shop near where my mum lives so I took the opportunity to snap it up quick. It wasn't cheap, and for the tiny portion I felt I had been seriously ripped off! Now Ive never really been a ready meal eater but when I opened the pack it looked to me what you would expect a ready meal to look like. Cheap and nasty! However I persevered and popped it in the microwave. When I think of macaroni cheese from my childhood I remember it bubbling beautifully in the oven, a crispy surface developing on top, the smell of cheddar wafting through the house. Staring at this tub whirling round in the microwave definitely did not bring those memories back!
As the microwave pinged I eagerly pulled it out and popped it on a plate, I would say the portion size was more equal to that of a small child's, however I'm sure if you made a delicious side salad and served it with crusty bread it would make a main meal. It looked exactly like it did on the box, no thrills macaroni in a yellow sauce. Pretty boring.
I then licked the fork I had scooped it onto the plate with.... and I was suddenly swept back into my childhood, nan making that delicious macaroni, that smell wafting through the kitchen.. oh my! As I was suddenly brought back into the present I peered back down at my plate... did that slop really just make me feel like that? I dashed into the living room with a huge grin and set the plate down for my mum, sister (both vegan), my mums partner (vegetarian) and me to tuck into. Between the four of us we had finished it in seconds with only a few forkfuls each.
It was like heaven! This is THE macaroni cheese I had oh so wanted to find! The taste was just amazing, creamy and cheddary, I just couldn't fault how much like the original it tasted! Even my mums partner who has only recently started venturing into vegan options loved it! The cheddar flavour was rich and spot on. We all agreed that there was hardly any difference from the original! This little gem had passed the taste test with flying colours!
Even though we all loved it I think it would still only be bought on the rare occasion, due to its price and portion size it just isn't value for money. It has given me a new love for Daiya cheese, and I have all my fingers and toes crossed that one day it will be available in the UK!
Appearance 4/10
Taste 10/10
Value 3/10
Most of the recipes I have attempted have not matched up to the traditional macaroni cheese, I have even tried dairy free cheese sauce mix, but it tasted too much like celery for me - bleugh. It was when I first became cruelty free that I heard of a vegan cheddar known as 'Daiya', sadly unavailable in the UK, however Amys Kitchen make a ready meal macaroni cheeze using it, I have been on the hunt for it ever since.
It was a couple of weeks ago that I discovered it in a health food shop near where my mum lives so I took the opportunity to snap it up quick. It wasn't cheap, and for the tiny portion I felt I had been seriously ripped off! Now Ive never really been a ready meal eater but when I opened the pack it looked to me what you would expect a ready meal to look like. Cheap and nasty! However I persevered and popped it in the microwave. When I think of macaroni cheese from my childhood I remember it bubbling beautifully in the oven, a crispy surface developing on top, the smell of cheddar wafting through the house. Staring at this tub whirling round in the microwave definitely did not bring those memories back!
As the microwave pinged I eagerly pulled it out and popped it on a plate, I would say the portion size was more equal to that of a small child's, however I'm sure if you made a delicious side salad and served it with crusty bread it would make a main meal. It looked exactly like it did on the box, no thrills macaroni in a yellow sauce. Pretty boring.
I then licked the fork I had scooped it onto the plate with.... and I was suddenly swept back into my childhood, nan making that delicious macaroni, that smell wafting through the kitchen.. oh my! As I was suddenly brought back into the present I peered back down at my plate... did that slop really just make me feel like that? I dashed into the living room with a huge grin and set the plate down for my mum, sister (both vegan), my mums partner (vegetarian) and me to tuck into. Between the four of us we had finished it in seconds with only a few forkfuls each.
It was like heaven! This is THE macaroni cheese I had oh so wanted to find! The taste was just amazing, creamy and cheddary, I just couldn't fault how much like the original it tasted! Even my mums partner who has only recently started venturing into vegan options loved it! The cheddar flavour was rich and spot on. We all agreed that there was hardly any difference from the original! This little gem had passed the taste test with flying colours!
Even though we all loved it I think it would still only be bought on the rare occasion, due to its price and portion size it just isn't value for money. It has given me a new love for Daiya cheese, and I have all my fingers and toes crossed that one day it will be available in the UK!
Appearance 4/10
Taste 10/10
Value 3/10
