Healthy and Tasty weeknight dinner one pot

Healthiest Mac & Cheese.

Written by on in Healthy living, Main, One pot, Pasta, Side, Weeknight/quick cooking

Ok Guys!! How is everybody?

I am so sorry, I’ve been a stranger lately. Life has been a busy little fairytale, of a kind and lots of ups and downs and ups have come. A new job, learning lot of things, and huge changes in personal and emotional life, for the good thankfully! I was left panting at times. So to speak. I do find I am sleeping a lot lately too. But that is as it may be. After all – sometimes one needs to just gather everything and take a breather, before plunging in again. Writing and food are my passions and I would always comeback to it, one hopes. Then, there are always bills to be paid and homes to be paid off, and futures to be shaped. Loves to be nurtured and fed and dogs to be patted and walks to be taken.

Why do I say this is the healthiest mac & cheese, like, in the world? Because it surely is. We made mac & Cheese this week and that is the dish that inspired me again to sit down and write. So warm and comforting, on these cold winter nights. One pot too – because Dishes are not that cool. 😉

It is packed full of vitamin C, K, B6, Folate, Protein and minerals. It is a complete meal with vegetables and beans incorporated. Not that giant gunk of pure calories. However, while being super healthy, it is also creamy and soft, luscious and cheesy. It is the best of both worlds.

Healthy and Tasty weeknight dinner one pot
One of the best mac&cheese recipes you’ll ever encounter!

It has Cauliflower, which is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, containing some of almost every vitamin and mineral that you need. Plus butter beans (or Lima beans) – a powerhouse of energy and protein. So, without farther ado – let’s get to it!

Healthiest Mac & Cheese.
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Healthiest Mac & Cheese.

Recipe by DivaCourse: DinnerCuisine: Italian, ModernDifficulty: Medium
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes

This Mac & Cheese is loaded with nutrition and is a creamy, dreamy piece that will become a family favorite!

Ingredients

  • 1 Pack of durum or whole wheat (small) pasta of choice

  • 1 Brown Onion – diced

  • 2 Cloves of Garlic – minced

  • 1 Small head of Cauliflower – Chopped

  • 1 Can of Butter beans – Drained and mashed

  • Oregano and Parsley – Chopped

  • Chili Flakes – to taste

  • 1 tsp. Italian Dried Herbs

  • Salt and Pepper to taste

  • 1/2 Small cup – Whole wheat flour

  • Cinnamon powder – A pinch

  • 2 cups Milk (or 2 tbsp. Milk powder+Water)

  • 1 tbsp of Butter

  • 1 tbsp of full flavor Olive oil

  • 1 1/2 cup of Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Grated

  • Bread Crumbs – if desired

  • 1 Bay Leaf

Directions

  • In a big oven proof pot or dutch oven, cook the pasta in salted water until Al Dante. Drain and set aside. You can toss with oil or just rinse with warm water before use again to prevent sticking.
  • Now, in the same pot, heat the olive oil and melt the butter. Add all of the onion, half the garlic, bay leaf and chili flakes and dry Italian herbs.Leave until slightly golden. (everything you add to the oil initially, flavors the dish the best!)
  • Add the roughly chopped Chunks of Cauliflower. (If you wish to hide the vegetable, just cut it finely or blend even.) Add some salt to help tenderize. Cover and cook on a medium flame for 5 – 7 minutes until tenderized a little under the desired consistency as it continues to cook in the sauce.
  • Add the flour and stir so it is all evenly incorporated. Add pepper and more salt as desired. Switch to a low flame. Add the crushed beans and combine – Then add milk (or vegan substitute) slowly and evenly to make white sauce, add more or less as needed. Add the fresh herbs, the rest of the garlic and cinnamon powder. Once all nice and bubbly, add half of the cheese. Stir to combine. In the mean time, turn on the grill function for your oven.
  • Add pasta. Stir to combine. Add more milk if it looks too dry. Turn off the flame. Top with the remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Put the pot under the grill to make the cheese top crunchy and golden.
  • Serve with a nice garden Salad. 🙂

Notes

  • Dig in! This mac n cheese is extremely versatile and would take grated carrot, sweet baby peas or we also use pineapple sometimes! Make your own version. Make it spicy, make it interesting! It is the ultimate comfort food.