Hidden Veggie Mac & “Cheese”

Is it just us, or is getting a child to eat a healthy, well-rounded meal seemingly impossible? How many times do we really want to pick broccoli or squash up off the floor after it was thrown from a plate with a grimace of disgust. Sure, a child’s tastes and preferences change throughout their life…shoot they seem to change every hour, but in the meantime we try, try and try again to get them to eat A vegetable, let alone a few. So here are some recipes with “hidden veggies”. These recipes are based off of meals most of us know and love, but we’ve sneaked in some vegetables so the kids are happy and we can rest a little easier knowing that they have some nutrition in their diet. Good luck!

  • Serves: 4 servings
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. of your favorite pasta (gluten-free or regular)
  • 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
  • 1 small yellow squash, cut into small cubes
  • 1 small carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 small sweet onion, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 1 can tuna, drained (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta, according to package.

  2. Heat the 2 T. butter in a saucepan over medium/high heat. Add the squash, carrot, onion, garlic powder, mustard, nutritional yeast, and salt to the melted butter.

  3. Sauté for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add the can of coconut milk to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the coconut milk has reduced by 2/3 and is thick.

  4. Pour the vegetables and coconut milk into a blender and puree until very, very smooth. Immediately add an egg yolk to the puree and blend well. The hot puree will cook the egg which will thicken the sauce and give it a rich texture.

  5. Check seasonings and add more salt or pepper to taste.

  6. Once the seasonings are where you want them, return the sauce to the pan and toss with the cooked pasta and tuna (if using). This is great served with chicken and broccoli!

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