Healthy Mac and Cheese for Kids
This Healthy Mac and Cheese recipe is filled with pureed veggies that go unnoticed! It's freezer-friendly and is ready in just 25 minutes!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cubed butternut squash, (I use the Trader Joe’s microwavable bag of squash)
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon butter, (or olive oil)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk, (or another plain, unsweetened plant-based milk or regular milk)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 16 ounces whole wheat elbow noodles, (or pasta of choice)
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, cover butternut squash and carrots fully with water. Cook in the microwave until soft, about 8 minutes.
- Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and strain the water. Pour the butternut squash and carrots into a high-speed blender or food processor, add 1 cup of water to it, and set aside to allow it to cool a little bit before blending.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt butter and then add garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds.
- Add vegetable broth, almond milk, salt, pepper, and mustard and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add pasta noodles and cook for amount of time the pasta package indicates. Do not strain the pasta once it’s cooked! You want to keep any extra liquid and flavor in the pot.
- While waiting for the pasta to cook, puree the vegetables and water in the blender.
- Once pasta is cooked, stir in cheese and pureed vegetables until well combined. Serve right away. It gets less creamy over time!
Notes
Fridge: Once cooled, store Mac and Cheese in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Freeze: Let the Mac and Cheese cool completely. Then, place it in an air-tight freezer-safe container for an easy meal later on! I love using Soupercubes trays for easy, portioned freezing.
Reheat from frozen: Ideally, pull Mac and Cheese out of the freezer the night before and defrost in the fridge. But, if you’re like me and you forget to do this…simply defrost the Mac and Cheese (keep it in the Tupperware) in a bowl of water for about 10 minutes. The water doesn’t even need to be hot for this step!
Then, remove Mac and Cheese from the Tupperware and place it in a microwave-safe dish. Pour some almond milk (about ¼ cup) over frozen pasta and microwave for about 3-4 minutes, or until it's cooked through. Stir to combine. Top with more shredded cheese if desired. Serve warm!
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