My kinda comfort food
A mac n'cheese recipe pumped with surprising nutrition. And a list of my favourite wholefood pastas I rely on ...
Hello beautiful souls!
Thank you for nourishing my work. In return, I gift your body this bonkfest for your tastebuds. I love this 360-support system we’ve got going.
If you struggle to squeeze nutritious foods into your family (or yourself?!) then today’s recipe is for you. (My regulars are probably familiar with this one. I’ve cooked it on TV twice, and included it in many cookery classes. Apologies I pushed this post out a bit, for those waiting on its arrival. The Heatwave Special felt more urgent and apt).
Let’s get to it!
Cooking for a picky person?
Feeding fussy eaters can feel about as easy as pushing socks through a keyhole. Honestly … being a carer, a school teacher, a full-time cook and a Lego engineer is not enough. We also need to be a magician. We’re hiding a cargo of goodness behind this cheesy macaroni sauce, and no one will ever know. Beat that, Houdini!
The key ingredient in today’s mac n’cheese is cauliflower, which blends into an outrageously smooth sauce in the absence of cream. I add ground turmeric for extra colour, anti-inflammatory prowess, and impressive antioxidant dance moves.
I also like using home made veggie stock that I store in the freezer (recipe guide here). But well-seasoned water will do just fine!
Any other tips?
Yep! The elbow pasta shapes associated with traditional macaroni is an important stealth factor in securing approval ratings here, if you feel you need it. And a side of Parmesan or cheddar to top. But honestly, here are my top go-to pasta brands and shapes …
Different pastas to try?
Freee (formally Dove’s Farm) do a brilliant 100% brown rice penne pasta that the whole family adores. This is probably the most used pasta in our household.
We rate the chickpea and wholewheat fusilli by organic Irish company Bunalun, which grabs onto sauce with its curly shape. I’ve only ever spotted it in Supervalu and Dunnes Stores nationwide.
Another one to watch for is the 100% buckwheat fusilli available in savvy delis and health food stores around the country. My boys love it. Buckwheat has a very distinctive taste that you will either love or hate.
Another Supervalu or Evergreen treasure is the red lentil lenticchie by a fancy Italian company called RUMMO. It’s perfect for today’s recipe. This brand has plenty of other awesome pasta shapes in a variety of cereals, not just wheat (also pictured above). It’s also worth looking online with bulk stores such as The Good Neighbour or Pax Wholefoods, for cheaper, GF, zero-plastic varieties if you eat a lot of pasta.
Don’t forget that the small daily decisions we make add up and equate to your overall well-being. So earmark this cracker, and treat yourself to an evening of cheesy pasta with superpowers. All my recipes have nifty, printable PDFs, so go ahead and print them out or email a favourite to a loved one.
Let me know how you’re getting on in your kitchen below in the comment section. I really do love hearing from you.
What do you want me to film later this month? Live or pre-record? I want to supercharge your battery with easy, nutritious recipes that will be your weaponry for your body’s armour this summer.
Love, light, and macaroni moves,
SJW
x
// Cauli Macaroni//
Enough for 6 portions
1 large brown onion, or 2 small
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon butter or extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground or freshly grated turmeric
400ml water or broth
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
About 125g of cheddar cheese, grated
Enough macaroni pasta shells, to serve
Step 1
Peel and chop your onion and garlic. Set aside.
Step 2
In a large lidded saucepan, warm your chosen fat and sauté the onion for 10-15 minutes until glassy and soft.
Now stir in the garlic and turmeric, sautéing for a further 5 minutes being careful the garlic doesn’t colour (as it turns bitter when browned).
Step 3
Add the water/broth and cauliflower chunks, turn up the heat, and boil for 10 minutes or until the cauli is cooked and tender.
Once cool enough to handle, puree to a luscious smooth sauce all-the-while being careful not to burn yourself with splashes. A blender is perfect, or a soup gun. Once silky smooth, return your macaroni sauce to the pan and add as much cheddar as you fancy (125g is a guideline).
Step 4
Cook your macaroni pasta according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. I find a pinch of salt always a good idea, and leaving a tiny bit of starchy cooking liquid aside after draining the cooked pasta. Stir through macaroni sauce, adding a splash of the starchy cooking liquid (a wily Italian trick to help the pasta grab the sauce), and serve hot. A little Parmesan is wonderful too.
If you’re not eating right away, skip the pasta and freeze the sauce in individual portions instead.
