Indulge Your Cravings with Uncomplicated Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese and Meatless Monday Lasagna
Eating healthy doesn’t mean that you have to give up your favorite meals. All you have to do is to find a healthier alternative while satisfying your cravings. Not only that, but you can also encourage the whole family to choose better options when it comes to their food.
That said, if you are running out of ideas on what to serve the family, why not try these two delicious recipes? They’re easy to prepare and cook, and they are both kid-approved too!
Quick Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese
Who doesn’t love some macaroni and cheese? However, if traditional mac and cheese is too laden with calories for you, try a gluten-free version of it. You can take credit in keeping your family healthy as well. Check out the recipe below.
Ingredients:
10 oz of gluten-free elbow pasta
1 ¼ tsp of salt
4 cups of milk
4 cups of Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
¼ cup of cornstarch
¾ tsp of mustard powder
¼ cup of butter
Topping:
1 tsp of softened butter (optional)
2 slices of gluten-free bread slices, toasted and then broken into crumbs (optional)
½ tsp of paprika (optional)
How to Make It
Now that you have all the ingredients, you can now start prepping them for an easy and yummy gluten-free meal.
1.Preheat your oven to 370 degrees Fahrenheit or 190 degrees Celsius. Prepare a 9 x 13 inches baking dish by greasing its surface.
2.Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring it to a boil. Pour the elbow macaroni into the pot and cook until firm or for about 8 minutes. Drain it after.
3.Place your saucepan on your stove and melt your ¼ cup of butter over medium heat. Stir in mustard powder and salt, then remove the pan from the heat.
4.Add milk and cornstarch in a bowl, then whisk until they are smooth. Stir in the butter mixture until all the ingredients are blended, and bring the saucepan back on the stove. Pour your milk mixture and cook over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sauce has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat.
5.Stir in the Cheddar cheese into the cooked sauce until they melt. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir, then pour the contents into your greased baking dish.
6.In another bowl, add the cheddar cheese, butter, paprika, and gluten-free bread crumbs. Sprinkle it all over the pasta mixture.
7.Pop the pan into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is crunchy.
Going Meatless with Your Lasagna
Another way to transform your love for pasta is going meatless when you make lasagna. Yes, your kids can riot when the meat goes missing, but the substitute ingredients will keep them healthy in the long run. The best part is that this can be one of your future investments for your family’s recipes.
Ingredients:
1 pack of (16oz) dry lasagna noodles
4 cups of part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
½ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 large eggs
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 cup of sliced Portobello mushrooms
4 oz of fresh baby spinach
1 ½ jars or 28 oz of pasta sauce
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
2 medium diced zucchinis
2 large carrots, shredded
4 oz of silken tofu
1 container (15oz) of park-skim ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
How to Make It
Here’s how to make a meatless lasagna that your family will give you credit for.
1.Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 190 degrees Celsius.
2.Prepare a large pot and fill it with lightly salted water and bring it to a boil. Add the dry lasagna noodles into the boiling water. Stir it from time to time until the noodles become firm. Drain it and rinse the lasagna with cold water. Toss it with a tablespoon of olive oil to avoid the noodles from sticking together, plus the oil adds more flavor too.
3.In a bowl, mix 2 cups of mozzarella, half cup Parmesan, tofu, ricotta, and eggs. Mix the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella in another bowl.
4.While you are waiting for the noodles to cook, heat some olive oil in a skillet using medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and mushrooms and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pasta sauce and the spinach and let it simmer until the spinach leaves have wilted.
5.Apply some vegetable sauce on the bottom of a 2-quart rectangular baking dish, then arrange the noodles. Then, layer it with half of the cheese-tofu mixture and half of the remaining sauce. Add more noodles and repeat. Top it with your mozzarella and parmesan.
6.Cover the dish and bake for half an hour. Uncover and bake it once more for 20 minutes. Let it sit for 10 minutes before you go and slice it to squares.
