Vegan Zucchini and Cheese with Green Chiles

One of my favorite dishes as a kid was shredded zucchini covered in a cheese sauce. It was a way my mom snuck in some vegetables by masking it as mac and cheese. As much as I'd love to have it again, I know all the cheese and dairy wouldn't make me feel very good. 

Well, now that I have a fantastic Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe, I figured it was time to take a crack at this dish again. Only this time, I wanted to make it more adult by adding diced green chiles and jalapenos just like they now do here in Colorado with traditional mac and cheese. 

This dish did not disappoint. The creaminess came through (even with the cheese and dairy) and the green chiles and jalapenos adding a savory, spicy addition that balanced the richness well. Now I have a perfect dish to use up a good portion of my bountiful zucchini harvest.

Ingredients

• 2-2.5 pounds of zucchini - shredded using a box grater or Cuisinart with the shredder attachment
• 1 batch of Vegan Mac and Cheese Sauce
• 1 4oz can of green chiles
• 1/4 cup jarred jalapenos - diced
• 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• Vegan Cotija Cheese Topping (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Grab a baking dish or Dutch oven and coat the bottom and sides with the oil.
• Add the remaining ingredients except for the topping. Stir to combine.
• Smooth out the zucchini mixture into an even layer. Sprinkle the topping on top.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until the mixture bubbles on top.
• Serve as is or mix together, draining some of the liquid if need be that the zucchini gave off while cooking.

Optional Vegan Cotija Cheese Topping. This recipe comes from the Dora's Table blog.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp jarred jalapeno brine
• pinch of salt

Directions

• Place ingredients in a Cuisinart food processor.
• Pulse and run until the texture of wet sand, stopping to scrape down the sides if need be.
• Serve as is.
• Alternatively, for a more cheese like consistency, place in a cheese cloth to drain out excess liquid. Store in the fridge for 24 hours, then remove cloth and crumble.