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Mac & Cheese with a Veggie Twist

Makes 4 servings

Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 20 min

Give mac and cheese a makeover by adding bite-sized vegetables into the creamy sauce. This ooey gooey recipe is sure to be a family favourite. Don’t have time to cut the vegetables into small pieces? No worries. Cook larger pieces a bit longer until they are tender.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole wheat macaroni or fusilli 375 mL
2 tsp soft non-hydrogenated margarine 10 mL
1  small onion, finely chopped 1 
2  cloves garlic, minced 2 
1  carrot, finely chopped 1 
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 125 mL
1/2 cup grated zucchini 125 mL
2 tbsp all purpose flour 30 mL
2 cups skim milk 500 mL
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 2 mL (1/2 tsp) dried thyme leaves 5 mL
1 cup shredded light old Cheddar cheese 250 mL
1 tsp Dijon mustard 5 mL
  Pinch fresh ground pepper  

Instructions

Step 1
In a pot, bring water to boil. Add macaroni and cook for about 6 minutes or until pasta is tender but firm. Drain well and set aside.

Step 2
In a large saucepan, heat margarine over medium heat and cook onion and garlic for 1 minute. Add carrot, red pepper and zucchini and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in flour and cook, stirring until flour is absorbed. Slowly pour in milk and stir until smooth. Add thyme. Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes or until starting to bubble. Stir in cheese, mustard and pepper. Remove from heat and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in cooked macaroni until well coated.

Tips

What kid doesn’t love mac and cheese? Ask your little chef to help grate the cheese using a box grater.  Ask your kids to choose what pasta shape they want to use.  There are lots to choose from, like penne, scoobi doo, shells and wagon wheels.
 
Make it yours. Personalize this recipe by switching up the cheese. 
 
Here’s how you can use frozen vegetables in this recipe.  Leave out the carrots, red pepper and zucchini and substitute 2 cups (500 mL) diced, mixed frozen vegetables in the sauce. 
  

Nutrition & Notes

Nutrition Information
Valeur nutritive
per 1 serving
% Daily Value
% valeur quotidienne
Amount
Teneur
Calories / Calories 322
13%
Fat / Lipides 8 g
Saturated / saturés 4 g
+ Trans / trans 0 g
Cholesterol / Cholestérol 19 mg
14%
Sodium / Sodium 334 mg
15%
Carbohydrates / Glucides 45 g
18%
Fiber / Fibres 4 g
Sugars / Sucres 10 g
Protein Protéines 20 g
Vitamin A / Vitamine A
58%
Vitamin C / Vitamine C
42%
Calcium / Calcium
13%
Iron / Fer
© All rights reserved. Health Canada and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 2014. Reproduced with permission from the Minister of Health, 2014. Recipe was developed by Emily Richards, P.H. Ec.

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