macaroni , cheese and veggies... pasta made healthy.........


It is pasta today ...with all the colorful vegetables.... high fiber , high GI load . Make your pasta healthy and be merry...

Add loads of vegetables to your pasta . All of the vegetables you like . I used french beans , baby corn , carrots and onions . There is some invisible cauliflower too . And i didn't find a person who didn't like it , kids included . One kids was found picking the beans , but then for such a kid you can add peas instead...

ingredients...
...( for 3-4 servings )..

milk 2 cups
quick cooking oats 2 tbsp
grated cauliflowers 1.5 cups
butter 2+2 tsp
garlic 1 tbsp
sliced onions 1 cup
baby corns , carrots , beans sliced 1 cup each( i used a bit more)
boiled macaroni 4 cups
red chilly flakes 2 tsp or to taste
dried oregano 1 tsp or fresh as you like
salt n pepper to taste
cheese about 1.5 cup grated ( i used processed cheese as this is the most common cheese we use in India , use any cheese or a mix of cheese you like)

Let me go step by step with the procedure  ...( for 3-4 servings )..

Mix together 2 cups of milk, 2 tbsp of quick cooking oats , 1.5 cup of grated cauliflowers and give them all a boil . I placed them all in a pyrex bowl and microwaved till it boiled twice .This will make the white sauce...

Cook the macaroni on the side too , all the vegetables and the sauce will be cooked in the meantime...

In the meanwhile heat 2 tsp of butter in a pan and brown the chopped garlic , add the sliced onion and let it get slightly pink in color . Add this to the boiling milk mixture and let it boil once again . I added the onion mix to the milk mix and gave it a boil in the microwave. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add half the cheese before boiling this white sauce...


Now heat 2 tsp of butter again in the same pan and add all the chopped vegetables and toss and fry till everything is glazed and a bit translucent... Add red chilly flakes and dried or fresh herbs of your choice and salt for the vegetables...

Add all these vegetables into the cooking sauce . If you are cooking the white sauce in a pan it will be convenient to transfer it into a baking dish. Mix everything well...


The pasta should be ready by this time , take care that the pasta is al dante ... drain and mix it immediately to this white sauce and vegetable mix...grate cheese over the dish like this...Preheat the oven while you are mixing and grating the cheese..


Now place the dish into the oven ( 200 degree C ) and within 5-7 minutes the top should be brownish...the pasta mix is hot already so it browns really quickly...


Take the dish out , mix the cheese into the pasta if you like this way or serve as it is....i like mixing the cheese into the pasta as i find the browned cheese tastes better mixed up with the moist pasta and vegetables...


Serve hot ...leftovers will be great the next day so you can make some extra if you like...

Another healthy pasta dish can be made if you don't like this large chunks of vegetables into your mac and cheese...I know you are going to love it as i told you i did not find a single person whom didn't like this pasta...

Just make it to suit your palate ...and enjoy...

Comments

  1. oh thanks ...you were so quick Hari Chandana.

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  2. This is easily the yummest recipe I have seen here on your space in days. Am already drooling over it. So good.. Loved the milk, oats and grated cauliflower sauce bit, never heard of it and seems so perfect to give that creamy rich texture. I hope to try this soon and will let you know how it turned out. Thanks!

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  3. Thank Gauri...Do try and tell me how did you like it.

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  4. yummy creamy pasta.. great sauce combination.. loved it..

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  5. Looks absolutely mouthwatering and lip smacking dish...mmmm...yum..
    Sanyukta
    http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/

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  6. Colorful n healthy!!! nice recipe:)

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  7. Tats a very new way for me of making this yummy o pasta..

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  8. I've never been a big pasta fan, but I love pasta dishes loaded with veggies.

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  9. Loved this...its going to be a regular preparation in my house :)

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  10. Yummy-mummy ;) Had tried these winters and this was fabulous, any alternatives for cauliflower to make the white sauce, as cauliflower isn't that great in summers....

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  11. Thanks Anonymous for the feedback. Glad to know that you tried and liked it . I never tried this white sauce with any other vegetable but i have a feeling that it would work well with some white squashes too ...let me try once .

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