I know for a purist, this twist on Mac and Cheese would be considered sacrilege. There is hardly any cheese in it, and there are actually vegetables snuck into it too. There is a time and place for the delicious super cheesy version, just ask my friend Jason Sobocinski of Caseus and The Big Cheese and he will pontificate about it. The only catch is, too much of the old stand by (or even the fancy locally sourced four cheese variety) and I'll have a stomach ache, not to mention, a big stomach.
I invented this paired down Mac and Cheese one night for my son. This version still has the crispy melted cheese on top, but forgoes the loads of cheese from inside the dish. But don't worry, it is creamy, flavorful and totally satisfies your Mac and Cheese craving, without all the heaviness of the original. If you have some leftover pasta in your fridge, it is quick to make, and much cheaper too, since there is less cheese in it, so it's great for a simple weeknight dinner. We'll save the rich Mac and Cheese loaded with atisnal curds for a special occasion, and enjoy this one whenever we feel like it.
Too many "cooking words" like rue, or buerre blanc can seem intimidating and difficult. This is one of those recipes that is actually very simple, and works just as well if you have a little less, or a little more of any ingredient, so I'm including simple instructions for those of you that like to cook by feel. There is a recipe below with measurements as well if you are more comfortable with that.
In a nutshell, here's how you do it:
Melt a pat of butter in a frying pan.
Add a spoon full of flour, stir around until it is bubbly, about 30 seconds.
Add milk to reach 1/2 inch up the pan edge, and stir until the flour dissolves and the milk thickens.
Season well with salt (and pepper if desired)
Stir in any veggie you like: fresh spinach, peas, chopped cooked broccoli, etc
Stir in cooked whole grain pasta*, enough to fill the pan and be coated with the sauce.
Cover with thin slices of extra sharp cheddar cheese.
Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and crispy.
Enjoy!
Measured Recipe:
Simple Healthy Mac and Cheese
8-10" frying pan with oven safe handle
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 cup cooked broccoli or 1+ 1/2 cup raw spinach or other vegetable
3 cups cooked whole grain pasta*
Extra sharp cheddar thinly sliced, enough to cover the top of the noodles
Follow directions above....
Follow directions above....
Use any noodles you like for this dish....and let me know how it works for you! Enjoy!
* Noodle Notes: The best, inexpensive whole grain noodles that I have found are the Stop & Shop, natures Choice brand, or Barilla pasta which often goes on sale for $1. For a gluten free pasta, the Trader Joe's brown rice noodle, penne shape is very good.
* Noodle Notes: The best, inexpensive whole grain noodles that I have found are the Stop & Shop, natures Choice brand, or Barilla pasta which often goes on sale for $1. For a gluten free pasta, the Trader Joe's brown rice noodle, penne shape is very good.
Brocolli,melted cheese on a pasta with cold soda is the best stress reliever.
ReplyDeleteThis looks/sounds really good! How do you find the whole grain pasta works? I love it (if it's a good brand - bionaturae or delalla, usually) and have gotten mixed reviews from others (some are struck by how satisfying it is; my daughter won't touch it with a 10 foot fork).
ReplyDeleteHey Noah,When I was a kid, I remember hating the pasty whole wheat pasta. I think many of the brands around now are much better when it comes to texture and flavor. I added a note to the post about the noodles we like, I know there are other good ones(like the brands you mentioned), I just haven't tried all that many. I still get some white flour noodles on occasion, because I like the shape or just want the different texture, but we try to have whole grain as much as we can. In a dish like this where they are covered in a creamy sauce, they are less noticeable (could you tell from the picture that they are whole wheat?), but certainly, it is easier to get people's tastes accustomed to whole grain noodles as younger kids, than as adults or teenagers. It's great that you are even trying to expose her to them, maybe it will pay off when she is an adult and paying more attention to these things...then she'll remember....
DeleteThanks as always for reading!
* Noodle Notes: The best, inexpensive whole grain noodles that I have found are the Stop & Shop, natures Choice brand, or Barilla pasta which often goes on sale for $1. For a gluten free pasta, the Trader Joe's brown rice noodle, penne shape is very good.