Sneaky Healthy Mac And Cheese Recipes

SNEAKY (HEALTHY) MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• •Put cauliflower florets in microwave safe dish and cook covered for 10 minutes, or until tender.
• •In a large pot, bring pasta water to a boil.
• •Add pasta, and cook until al dente, I recommend 2 minutes less than the package says.
• •Drain and add back to the pot, off the heat.
• •In another, small pot, boil milk and pasta water (scoop it out of the boiling pasta pot) with the butternut squash.
• •Add the butternut squash and milk mix into a blender with the cheeses.
• •Add the cauliflower.
• •Blend until smooth.
• •Taste, you will probably need to add a decent amount of salt.
• •Add the sauce to the pasta and place in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.
• •Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed (yes again - this is your last chance to get it perfect!).
• Melt butter and mix with bread crumbs.
• Sprinkle bread crumbs over mac n cheese.
• Cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden.
• Can be made ahead and refridgerated. Just cook 30 minutes.
• •Eat up! (And don't tell!).

SNEAKY SQUASH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
• While the macaroni is cooking, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk together, making a roux; cook for 1 minute. Add milk, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly until incorporated. Cook and whisk until sauce is thick and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add squash and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Drain pasta and add to sauce. Serve hot.

SNEAKY MAC N CHEESE

Steps:

• Chop up the raw broccoli to desired texture (I like a mix of big and small chunks) and soak in a bowl of lightly salted cold water while preparing the rest.
• Puree onion and garlic in mini chopper or food processor.
• Cook the noodles al dente and set aside to drain.
• Follow box recipe for roux. (Melt butter, add flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly - careful not to burn).
• Add milk slowly and keep stirring. Add seasonings.
• Add cheese, grated or chopped and stir until melted and thickend.
• Mix with drained noodles, add raw broccoli & onion/garlic puree, and pour into a 9 X 13 baking dish.
• Top with a handful of extra cheese and Italian bread crumbs - to cover.
• Bake at 400 for about 35 minutes.
• (The cheese should brown it up but you can always add a few pats of butter toward the end if you want it browner).
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