Kids and picky eaters can be tricky to please from our home kitchens, and they don’t always get as excited about nutritious dinners as we moms do! This super-easy homemade mac n cheese side dish will please both mom and picky eaters, and you'll do it in only 15 minutes!
It happens to be a lot of grownup’s favorite side dish too. In our house, we enjoy this side with fish entrees, chicken fingers and meatloaf.
How to make it:
Ingredients
1/2 box whole wheat elbow or gluten-free elbow noodles
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 T olive oil
4-6 oz shredded cheese
Instructions
1. Saute the uncooked noodles in a drizzle of oil for about 2-3 minutes, stirring to avoid burning them. (This step is optional, and gives the noodles more of a "crispy" texture once cooked, rather than mushy.)
2. Boil the noodles in several cups of water in medium saucepan over medium heat until just done (takes about 8 minutes.)
3. Drain noodles in strainer, add them back into the saucepan.
4. Over low heat, stir in shredded cheese, almond milk, butter and olive oil.
5. Continue stirring until just melted, then remove from heat and serve immediately.
For those of you curious about the other dish pictured here with our Homemade Mac n Cheese recipe...it's Coach Bess's Salmon and Quinoa Patties. Just click here for that recipe!
NOTE: I use this brand of gluten-free noodles for our homemade mac n cheese - in case you were wondering and wanted to try them. They are NOT just "filler food" like so many other pasta options. They are full of nutrition, as you can see on the label! (The protein amount on the label is due to the quinoa used in this brand!)
Oh and they are affordable and easy to find at your regular grocers!
What do you think? Would you try this recipe at home? Let me know in the comments!