Mac-n-Cheese Please!

Healthy macaroni and cheese that is creamy and healthy. I wanted to get some vegetables nutrients in my son's diet and cook vegetables in new ways to give him more options to eat them.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry whole grain macaroni noodles
• 4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese shredded or crumbled
• 2 Tbsp. butter or low calorie substitute
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups your favorite vegetables
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• pepper
• salt

Directions:

Cook noodles and vegetables together in pot of boiling salted water until pasta is al dente and vegetables tender. (If you are cooking firmer vegetables, be sure to add them to the water first so the pasta doesn't get mushy). Drain pasta and veggies, leave in strainer.

In a hot pot, melt butter/butter substitute. When melted add flour and mix well. Let cook about 1 minute so that the flour taste cooks away, stirring frequently. Add milk and stir until it starts to thicken. Add cheese 1 oz. at a time. Salt and pepper to taste, when sauce is smooth and creamy stir noodles and vegetables back in.

Even if your kids won't eat the vegetables, the noodles will have absorbed some of the nutrients from being cooked with them and the sauce is tasty so your kids might not even notice the vegetables! My 3 year old ate carrots the other day in this mac and cheese. No go for the broccoli though!

By Shannon from Lakewood, OH