Tag: mac n cheese

Macaroni & Cheese

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Macaroni and Cheese (2)

I wish I could claim there was some secret, healthy ingredient in this homemade mac ‘n’ cheese. But nope. This is pure comfort food, and sometimes that’s exactly what the family needs.

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 6 tablespoons Earth Balance butter
  • 6 tablespoons flour
  • 3 cups unsweetened soy milk
  • 2 cups shredded Daiya cheddar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon yellow mustard
  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk until combined. Add the soy milk and cook for about 2 minutes, until the mixture starts to thicken.
  3. Stir in the cheese and continue to cook over low heat until the cheese becomes melty. Stir in the pasta, salt, black pepper, and yellow mustard.

Macaroni and Cheese (1)

Veggie-Packed Mac ‘n’ Cheese

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veggie mac (4)

For kids who won’t eat their vegetables, mac and cheese is the perfect venue to slip in a little extra veggie goodness while they are none the wiser. Here’s my super-speedy version, starting with your favorite store-bought mac ‘n’ cheese mix.

Ingredients:

  • 1 package vegan macaroni and cheese
  • 1 large sweet potato
  1. Prepare the mac and cheese according to package directions; set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, peel and cube the sweet potato, and cook in boiling water for 20 minutes, or until very tender.
  3. Transfer the sweet potato to a blender, along with a little of the cooking liquid; process until smooth.
  4. Stir 1/2 cup sweet potato puree into the mac and cheese; reserve the remaining sweet potato for another use. (Note: The puree is perfect for babies, if you’re feeding kids of multiple ages!).

From here, the varieties are almost endless. You could also use the same amount of butternut squash puree, cauliflower puree:

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or carrot puree:

Veggie mac (3)

Sometimes I also leave the veggies a little chunkier, as with the carrot version shown here.

veggie mac (2)

 

Mexican Mac ‘n’ Cheese

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Mexican Mac

This south-of-the-border spin on kids’ perennial favorite will help spice up mac ‘n’ cheese night! For the tortilla chips, I like to serve the white bean chips from Beanitos for a little nutritional punch.

Ingredients:

  • 1 package vegan mac ‘n’ cheese mix (such as Annie’s)
  • 1/2 cup jarred salsa
  • 1 cup black beans
  • 1 cup canned corn
  • Crushed tortilla chips
  1. Prepare the mac ‘n’ cheese according to package directions.
  2. To the saucepan, add the salsa, black beans, and corn, stirring to combine.
  3. Crumble the tortilla chips and serve on top to taste.

 

 

Mac ‘n’ Cheese Muffin Bites

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Mac Muffin (2).JPG

What will your kids love even better than a favorite go-to vegan mac ‘n’ cheese? Individual mini mac ‘n’ cheese muffins, of course! I hadn’t pulled out my mini muffin tin in ages (2012 to be exact) until making this recipe, but now the pan is sure to get a lot of use.

Ingredients:

  • 1 package vegan mac ‘n’ cheese mix (such as Annie’s)
  • 2 Ener-G eggs
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  1. Prepare the mac ‘n’ cheese according to package directions. Let stand for about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the Ener-G eggs, then divide the pasta evenly among 20 mini muffin cups.
  3. Sprinkle evenly with the black pepper. Bake at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes. Let stand about 5 minutes before removing from the cups to serve.

Mac and Cheese in a Mug

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Yes, your toddler can make pasta nearly him- or herself alone! This comfort food recipe is just right for a winter lunch or dinner.

In an oven-proof mug, have your child pour in the following: 1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni or small shell pasta; 1/4 cup shredded Daiya cheddar cheese; 1 tablespoon flour; and 1/2 cup non-dairy milk.

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Now give the mug a big stir to combine the ingredients!

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Adults, place the mug on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes – the mixture should be bubbly on top.

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In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon melted Earth Balance butter and 1 tablespoon fresh bread crumbs. Spoon over the mac and cheese, then return to the oven for a final 5 minutes.

Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving. Travis was so proud to have stirred the ingredients together, and couldn’t wait to try the recipe – especially because of the novelty of eating from a mug!

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You can double the recipe and use two mugs; reheat the second portion of mac and cheese in the microwave the next day.

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