Vegan Chao & Chick'in Mac

Newest vegan cheese fancifies up macaroni and cheese dinner hour.

True story: I bought Field Roast's Coconut Herb Chao Slices at the Union Square Whole Foods in Chelsea. It survived 2 hour Megabus trip without becoming a bonafide mess. Impressive!
However, that's not the biggest surprise about their new line of fine quality cheeses.
Oh Field Roast. How many words does one vegan blogger have to say to express undying love? They just keep on making splendid products. For one, I'm pleasantly surprised that they've entered the vegan cheese foray, bringing forth artisan brilliance that rivals Treeline's prestige.
I applaud not using palm fruit oil or canola oil- great accomplishments in itself. I don't cook with either of those oils, but they're a constant ingredient stable in most convenient vegan cheeses. So Field Roast stepped right up to bat for coconut oil-- one of my favorites for its diversity. Coconut oil is so amazing Trader Joe's is having the toughest time keeping their organic version up to demand. To have coconut oil star as a feature ingredient in a "cheese," gives me the brightest smile. This cheese tastes wonderful! Black pepper notes add delicious melodic notes to thinly sliced coconutty tofu. I had a cold sandwich featuring Coconut Herb slices and it stood up to challenge. You know a vegan cheese is good vegan cheese when you can eat sans melted factor. Great on salads shredded up. Eat it with cinnamon apples.
On package eloquent statement reads: vegan coconut cheese alternately seasoned with fermented soy bean curd called Chao by the Vietnamese.... blending Asian and European heritages with Greek cheese maker and a family in Taiwan makes the Chao."
I loved this mission. Field Roast gives credit to all involved in what must be a tremendously long albeit valuable process. In the end, splendid vegan cheese born from unity brings high standards and integrated culture knowledge. 

Packaging is simply captivating.

Slices peel apart easily without crumbly breakage and no wax paper is needed between them.

One can never have too much macaroni & cheese. 
Pasta relishes creamy, beautifully crafted Chao and meaty Beyond Meat's Chickenless Strips offer. Balance between rich consistency, firm elbow macaroni, and chunky tenderness is a dinner for two. Although I used dried basil, fresh leaves would be wonderful addition. Basil dances along with black pepper serenade perfectly. 

Vegan Chao & Chick'in Mac

1 cup elbow macaroni
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tablespoon coconut oil
3 Field Roast Vegan Chao Coconut Herb slices
1/2 cup Beyond Meat Lightly Seasoned Chickenless Strips, diced
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of black pepper

Bring pasta to boil.
Lower heat and stir in almond milk, coconut oil, Chao slices, chickenless strips, and nutritional yeast.
Add basil, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Turn off heat.
Serve.

A little extra basil never hurt.

One last closeup before devouring.