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Healthy Broccoli Mushroom Mac & Cheese with black bean penne & cauli-carrot 3-cheese sauce ~ Sumptuous Spoonfuls #healthy #comfortfood #recipe

Healthy Broccoli Mushroom Mac & Cheese

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 - 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 a head of cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 3 carrots, peeled and chopped into large chunks
  • 1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
  • A sprinkle of nutmeg
  • A sprig of thyme
  • 1 oz. Greek cream cheese (or Neufchatel)
  • 1.5 oz. shredded gouda cheese
  • 1.5 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 6 oz. black bean penne (or other pasta of choice)
  • 4 oz. frozen broccoli, thawed and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon avocado oil
  • 1 – 2 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
  • 4 oz. fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • Red Robin Seasoning (or your favorite seasoned salt) and Trader Joe’s 21-Seasoning Salute (or your favorite seasoning blend)
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten free breadcrumbs or rice chex for GF)
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil from marinating cheeses – or use 1 T. oil + 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning + 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

Instructions

  1. Heat the chicken broth to boiling and add the bay leaf. Set aside to let the bay leaf steep.
  2. Bring a pot of salted water to boiling, then add the cauliflower and carrots, reduce heat slightly and let boil for about 15 – 20 minutes or until the veggies are very tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove the veggies from the water and put them in a blender. Put the pasta in the boiling water to cook.
  3. Now, to the blender, add the reserved broth, mustard, nutmeg and thyme to the blender. Blend until smooth, then add the cheeses and blend again.
  4. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
  5. While the pasta is cooking, microwave the broccoli to thaw it, then chop it up into small pieces and use a clean kitchen towel to squeeze out any excess moisture.
  6. Add the avocado oil to a small frying pan, then add the garlic and mushrooms. Stir for a few minutes, then cover and let cook, stirring several times, until the mushrooms are tender. Uncover, season the mushrooms with seasonings, and cook and stir until the mushroom juices are cooked off and the mushrooms are nicely browned.
  7. When the pasta is done, strain off the water. Toss the pasta with the mushrooms and broccoli and as much of the cheese sauce as you think is appropriate, saving the rest for another use. Pour into an oven-safe dish. In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the olive oil and sprinkle them on top. Bake at 400 F. for 15 – 20 minutes or until the crumbs on top are nicely browned and crispy. Enjoy!

Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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Find it online: https://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/healthy-broccoli-mushroom-mac-cheese/