Veggie Mac n Cheese
This Veggie Mac n Cheese puts a healthy spin on a comfort food favorite. With a creamy cheese sauce enveloping classic macaroni noodles and delicious broccoli, peppers, and spinach, this dish is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Health Benefits:
- Using low fat or skim milk in this recipe is a great way to cut back on fat while still creating a thick, creamy cheese sauce with the help of a “roux,” the fat flour combination used for thickening!
- Broccoli is a vitamin C power house! Did you know 2 cups of broccoli has more than 3 times the amount of vitamin C as a large orange?
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb - macaroni noodles or pasta of choice
- 3 tbsp - butter
- 1/4 cup - flour
- 2 1/2 cup - low fat milk
- 1/4 tsp - each garlic, onion, chili powder, and black pepper
- 8 oz - sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cup - chopped broccoli
- 2 ct - red bell peppers, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup - spinach, chopped
- 3/4 cup - breadcrumbs (optional)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Chop broccoli and bell peppers. Chop spinach and set aside.
- Grate or chop cheddar cheese. Set aside.
- Add ½ c water to a medium/large pot. Bring to a boil and add broccoli and peppers. Stir and cook vegetables for 5-7 minutes over medium heat. When tender, remove from pot and set aside.
- Melt butter in the same pot and add flour, mixing to create a paste or “roux”. Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden. Add milk and stir often.
- When this milk has thickened to the consistency of an alfredo sauce, add cheese and spices. Stir until well blended.
- Add pasta and cooked vegetables and mix.
- Optional: pour vegetable macaroni and cheese into a baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake at 375 until bread crumbs are golden, about 20 minutes.
