Family Meal Time. It’s more important than you think.
I once read 
My favorite childhood meal. The meal I could eat everyday and every night for two weeks straight when I was a kid (and I’m not kidding). Mac and cheese.
Now, my parents were small business owners (a Korean grocery store and a few restaurants) and so they worked all the time. We had a nanny who stayed with us and I remember her making Kraft macaroni and cheese for us all the time. Now I am not knocking that neon orange powdery cheese, because, hey, we all ate that stuff growing up, didn’t we? I was a kid. I loved the stuff. But I probably should not have been eating this stuff more than 3 times a week. My parents worked hard 6 days a week and although we did not sit down to a complete family dinner every night, my parents made sure we had a hot, meal for dinner every night and we always ate together as a family on Sunday mornings. Even though I wish we ate together more regularly, this is what was doable for my family growing up.
Today I am bringing you the Hip Foodie Mom version of Mac and Cheese. No neon orange powdery cheese here. Only the good stuff. Fresh ingredients. And with vegetables. And nothing out of a box, except the pasta. This mac and cheese does not disappoint. It’s cheesy and flavorful and packed with veggies so your kids are forced to eat them (the cauliflower is easily disguised) or pick them out (note: this is why I try to dice up the veggies really small). Either way, I hope you and your family enjoy!
Veggie Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound dry elbow macaroni pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 cups cauliflower; diced
- 2-3 cups cremini mushrooms; diced
- 2-3 cups kale; diced
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup heavy cream + more if too dry but 1/2 cup should be fine
- 3-4 heaping cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese or blend of cheddar + gruyere
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to package directions but cook 1 minute less than what the package calls for. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- Using the same pot you just cooked your pasta in, add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. After a minute, add all of your diced vegetables and cook until softened and fragrant; for about 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the nutmeg in and stir. After a minute or so, add in the pasta, sour cream, heavy cream and cheese. Mix until well combined and heated through; for about 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.
Sources for this post: an article from CNN.com/Health.com and WebMD.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by American Family Insurance. All opinions are my own.
