Everyone loves Macaroni and Cheese right? But oh the calories! Personally I love Mac and Cheese, specifically Kraft, but it is so unhealthy. It has a ton of sodium and the cheese is fake. Bottom line store bought box Macaroni and Cheese is not a good choice. But what if you could add a little health to it? Enter the solution, veggie mac. This recipe is good and you can pretty much do anything with it. You can take out what you don’t like or add more to it. Personally when I made it I was not a fan of the onions, so I will take them out next time. Also, it would be great to add tuna fish to. It is a great excuse to go to the farmers market and buy fresh broccoli and carrots.
What you need:
1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cups fresh cauliflowerets
3 large carrots, halved and thinly sliced
2 celery ribs
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon of butter
1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup 2% milk
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Usually, until tender and floating to the top of the pot. Add broccoli, cauliflowerets, carrots and celery during the last 6 minutes. Drain; transfer to greased cooking dish.
2. Meanwhile, sauté onion in butter until tender and browning. Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended. Gradually stir in milk and broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cheese, mustard, salt and pepper.
3. Pour over macaroni mixture; stir to coat. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
This recipe is a lot of ingredients but pretty easy to make and it will feed you all week. If you reheat it in the microwave I would suggest adding a splash of milk to give it more moisture. This is also a great dish for parties, depending on your friends. This is a good example of being able to eat the comfort foods you love and eating healthy. Healthy eating is all about forming healthy eating habits and retraining your body to like food that is good for you.
NUTRITION FACTS: 1 cup equals 189 calories, 10g fat, 10 g protein, and 35mg cholesterol
Reader’s Digest Publishing, taste of home farm Fresh favorites
Veggie Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Everyone loves Macaroni and Cheese right? But oh the calories! Personally I love Mac and Cheese, specifically Kraft, but it is so unhealthy. It has a ton of sodium and the cheese is fake. Bottom line store bought box Macaroni and Cheese is not a good choice. But what if you could add a little health to it? Enter the solution, veggie mac. This recipe is good and you can pretty much do anything with it. You can take out what you don’t like or add more to it. Personally when I made it I was not a fan of the onions, so I will take them out next time. Also, it would be great to add tuna fish to. It is a great excuse to go to the farmers market and buy fresh broccoli and carrots.What you need:
1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cups fresh cauliflowerets
3 large carrots, halved and thinly sliced
2 celery ribs
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon of butter
1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup 2% milk
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Usually, until tender and floating to the top of the pot. Add broccoli, cauliflowerets, carrots and celery during the last 6 minutes. Drain; transfer to greased cooking dish.
2. Meanwhile, sauté onion in butter until tender and browning. Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended. Gradually stir in milk and broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cheese, mustard, salt and pepper.
3. Pour over macaroni mixture; stir to coat. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
This recipe is a lot of ingredients but pretty easy to make and it will feed you all week. If you reheat it in the microwave I would suggest adding a splash of milk to give it more moisture. This is also a great dish for parties, depending on your friends. This is a good example of being able to eat the comfort foods you love and eating healthy. Healthy eating is all about forming healthy eating habits and retraining your body to like food that is good for you.
NUTRITION FACTS: 1 cup equals 189 calories, 10g fat, 10 g protein, and 35mg cholesterol
Reader’s Digest Publishing, taste of home farm Fresh favorites
Aaron Keyser
aaronkeyser88@yahoo.com