Better-than-Boxed Cheesy Macaroni with Cauliflower
What makes this better than macaroni from a box? Real cheese! Delicious hot, sent to school in a Thermos, you can also send this as a cold macaroni salad. To increase the vegetable content even more, add a cup of broccoli, peas, or diced carrots to the pasta-cooking water five minutes before draining.
2 cups (500 mL) cauliflower florets
2 cups (500 mL) dried macaroni or gluten-free pasta
1 1/2 cups (350 mL) milk
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt
2 green onions, white parts only, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
1 tsp (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) nutmeg
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp (30 mL) butter
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose unbleached flour or gluten-free flour
1/4 cup (60 mL) grated sharp white cheddar
1/4 cup (60 mL) grated Gruyère
2 Tbsp (30 mL) freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
Steam cauliflower florets for 7 minutes, or until easily pierced with fork.
Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to a boil and add pasta. Reduce heat, partially cover, and cook for 5 minutes or until almost al dente.
Transfer cauliflower to blender or food processor with milk, salt, green onion, Dijon, Worchestershire sauce, nutmeg, pepper, and cayenne, if using. Blend until smooth.
In large pot, melt butter over medium heat. When hot, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly for an additional 2 minutes. Whisk in cauliflower purée and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in cheeses and remove from heat. Add cooked pasta and stir to combine.
Serves 6.
Each serving contains: 256 calories; 12 g protein; 9 g total fat (5 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 35 g total carbohydrates (4 g sugars, 4 g fibre); 217 mg sodium
Gluten-free option
You can make this recipe with gluten-free macaroni or any other shape of pasta, but make sure your Worcestershire sauce is also gluten-free, or simply leave it out and add an extra tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
source: "Build a Better Lunch", alive #383, September 2014
Better-than-Boxed Cheesy Macaroni with Cauliflower
Directions
Amie Watson
Amie Watson is a Montreal-based freelance writer, television contributor, and founder of the Fork That app. Her work has appeared in the Montreal Gazette, enRoute magazine, and The Globe and Mail.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Purple Cabbage and Apple Soup
This vibrant soup is a soul-soothing hug in a bowl. Blue and purple fruits and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that promote health and proper brain function. Apple swap Try swapping out the apples in this recipe for pears. Just like the apples, the subtle sweetness of pears helps balance out the earthiness of the cabbage.
Herb and Greens Frittata
Deep green fruits and vegetables are high on the list of health-promoting foods. Green foods have been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants and nutrients that promote good cardiovascular health and can inhibit certain carcinogens. Serve this frittata alongside a leafy green salad for an unbeatable green culinary experience. Versatile leftovers Any leftover frittata makes a wonderful filling for a sandwich along with other thinly sliced vegetables you have on hand and a smear of hummus.
Caramelized Fennel and Yogurt Dip
This creamy dip will be your go-to for dunking vegetables or for spooning over roast chicken or root vegetables as a sauce. Compounds found in fennel have been shown to stimulate the production of T-cells in our body, which, in turn, may help improve our immune response to infections. If white is right If you would like to stay on the white theme, try serving this dip with an array of white vegetables such as endive leaves, jicama sticks, daikon rounds, steamed nugget potatoes, and cauliflower florets.
Tempeh and Mango Curry
The stars of this delicious curry dish are yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, which are high in a form of carotenoids called xanthophylls. These compounds have more of a yellow pigment as opposed to their orangier cousins, the carotenes. While a powerful antioxidant, xanthophylls are mostly associated with maintaining good eye health. Mix and match This curry is easily adaptable to whichever vegetables you have on hand. Experiment to find your favourite combination.