Mac and Cheese with Cauliflower

I love mac and cheese. This is my personal healthy take on a classic white cheddar mac and cheese with a spicy kick.

I’ve always found mac and cheese to be a lot of work, but this recipe in particular is easy, fast, and made as healthy as possible to still taste like traditional mac and cheese. The rue takes no time at all, and I cook the pasta in the same pot as the cauliflower to make this dish as easy as possible.

I like to use whole grain elbows from Barilla instead of using regular white pasta. I rarely cook with white pasta unless homemade! I actually prefer the taste of whole grain, whole wheat, or some sort of protein packed pasta. I cook with this whole grain pasta a couple times a week and love it! It’s packed with fiber and protein.

Consistency of the cheese sauce before adding it to the pasta and cauliflower **impossible not to taste** I kept dipping pretzel rods in it…

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds of whole grain Barilla elbows

• 1 head of cauliflower

• 3 cloves of minced garlic

• 2 cups of milk

• 1/2 cup of olive oil

• 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons of hot sauce

• 1 tablespoon of paprika

• 3 tablespoons of whole wheat flour

• 3 cups of shredded white cheddar cheese

• 1 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Salt

Prep:

1. Set oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large pot, boil water. Add 1 head of chopped cauliflower and a pound and a half of pasta. Cook al dente for 8 minutes. Once cooked, sprinkle with olive oil and set aside in a large pan.

3. **FOR THE RUE** - Heat a large saucepan to medium heat, then add olive oil. Once hot, add 3 gloves of minced garlic and cook until golden. Then, add 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the 3 tablespoons of flour and whisk for 3 minutes or until thick and creamy with no lumps. Slowly add the 2 cups of milk, and continue to whisk for another minute. Start to add the cheese while whisking. Once all of the cheese is added and melted, add paprika, pepper, dijon mustard, and hot sauce and continue to stir.

4. Once the rue is complete, immediately add it to the pasta/cauliflower mixture. Add breadcrumbs and mix everything together.

5. I always add a little more butter to the top, and then add more breadcrumbs.

6. Back in oven at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

   This recipe in particular makes enough servings for an army!! You’ll have lots of leftovers. :)