Veggie baked Mac-n-Cheese

I've been on the hunt for a good veggie filled "Healthier" homemade mac-n-cheese recipe, and I finally found one that I really like.  I switched up the recipe a little bit and added in different veggies, then I BAKED it to give it that yummy crispy casserole crust.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces shell noodles, (2 cups)
• 1 half cauliflower finely chopped (you can use broccoli too)
• 3 cups baby spinach or baby kale chopped
• 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk (divided; set 1/4 c milk aside)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
• 1/4 cup Panko Bread crumbs
• Optional: 1/8-1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (to give it some kick!) 

Preheat oven to 350.  Boil up the shell noodles as directed.

In a separate pan, saute cauliflower and fresh garlic in a little bit of olive oil.  Once the cauliflower is soft, add in the spinach and saute til it wilts.

In a small bowl, mix flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then whisk in 1/4 cup milk, mix well and set aside.

In a pot, slowly simmer 1.5 cups of milk on medium heat.  Once it starts to boil whisk in the flour/milk mixture and stir for 2-3 minutes or until milk mixture has thickened up.  Add in cheese and Dijon mustard.  Once cheese is melted, add in cauliflower mixture and add in shell noodles.  Mix well.

Pour mixture into a 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle Panko bread crumbs on top.  Bake in the oven for 10 min. then broil it for 3-5 min. or until the bread crumbs are golden brown. 

Take it out, let it cool for 7-10 minutes.  Serve it up and ENJOY!

*recipe courtesy of "The Picky Eater Blog"

**For lower fat - substitute whole milk for 1% or non-fat and use low fat cheese

Gluten Free-Turkey-Veggie Lasagna

I'm a huge fan of Lasagna and Italian food in general, but I like to tweak Italian food to make it just a bit more healthier.  So here's my own version of Turkey-Veggie Lasagna, which is also gluten free.

 Ingredients:
Lasagna noodles (I use Tinkyada, it's wheat free & gluten free)

 2 tsp. Minced Garlic
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 medium red onion (chopped)
1/3 cup Non-Fat milk
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 yellow (or red) bell pepper (chopped)
1/2 tsp. salt
1.5 cups chopped portabello mushrooms
1.5 Jars of pasta sauce (My favorite is Classico Four Cheese)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 zucchini chopped
1.5 cups low fat cottage cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour olive oil in a saute pan and saute onions, garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, and bell pepper til all veggies are tender.

 Add ground turkey to the sauteed veggies and cook thoroughly.
Add salt, pepper, and oregano

 Boil Lasagna noodles til they are al dente' (follow the package directions)

 Mix Milk, Cottage Cheese, and Parmesan Cheese in a separate bowl.

 Start the "Layering Process"
1. Cover the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan with pasta sauce
2. Lay 1 layer of Lasagna Noodles on top
3. Add cheese mixture on top of noodles
4. Add meat-veggie mixture on top of cheese
5. Pour sauce on top of meat-mixture
6. repeat these steps until you are out of noodles, meat, and cheese mixture

 

 Make sure your top layer is a layer of Lasagna noodles.  Pour sauce over noodles, sprinkle mozzarella over sauce, cover with foil, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes (or until the lasagna is boiling on the sides).

Once out of the oven, let the lasagna sit and cool for about 10 minutes. Serve it up and Enjoy!!
Makes 10 servings

Stuft Chicken & Portabello Mushroom Manicotti

PreHeat your oven to 350
Boil up a package of manicotti shells...make sure they are Al Dente' (cooked but still slightly firm), set them aside so they can cool2 TBS Olive Oil
1 Full chicken breast (chopped)
6oz Baby Portabello mushrooms (chopped)
1.5 Cups fresh spinach (chopped)
1 tsp. salt
1 clove of garlic (minced)

Heat up oil, saute chicken, garlic, salt, and mushrooms until chicken and mushrooms are cooked, stir in the fresh spinach...set aside and let it cool1 Container Ricotta Cheese
1/4 c. Fresh Parmesan Cheese
1 bushel of fresh basil (chopped)
1 egg

Stir egg, cheese's, and basil together in a separate bowlOnce Chicken/Mushroom mixture has cooled down, mix it in with the Ricotta Cheese mixTake your mixture and stuff the manicotti shells, then place them in a baking pan over your favorite red sauce (I use Arrabiatta Sauce, slightly spicy and YUMMY)
pour the rest of your jar of sauce over the manicotti shells (use more than one jar of sauce if you like extra sauce)Cover with foil, and Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 min (make sure sides are bubbling)Take off foil, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, cook for 5 more min. uncoveredThen serve it up! Goes great with Garlic Bread, Green Salad, and Grilled Asparagus...ENJOY!!!!