MAC ‘N’ GREENS
We’ve replaced some of the pasta with hearty veg for a lighter, more nutritious bake that will still hit the spot when you’re craving comfort food! By using semi-skimmed milk and olive oil in the roux instead of butter, we’ve also reduced the levels of saturated fat.
Hands-on time 15min. Cooking time about 35min. Serves 4
225g (8oz) macaroni 200g (7oz) green beans, trimmed and halved 250g (9oz) cauliflower, cut in to small florets 3tbsp olive oil 50g (2oz) plain flour 600ml (1 pint) semiskimmed milk 125g (4oz) extra mature Cheddar, finely grated 2tsp wholegrain mustard 100g (3½oz) frozen peas 50g (2oz) kale, shredded
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to boil. Tip in pasta and cook for 5min, add green beans and continue cooking for 2min more, then tip in cauliflower, bring back to boil for a final 2min, until just cooked and still crunchy. Drain.
2 Meanwhile, heat 2½tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and whisk in the flour. Cook for 2min, until beginning to smell toasty, then take off the heat. Gradually add the milk, whisking until smooth between each addition. Return pan to the heat and cook for 10min, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Stir in 100g (3½oz) cheese and the mustard. Season.
3 Add pasta, cooked vegetables and peas to the sauce, stir well. Spoon into 4 mini ovenproof baking dishes (or one large dish – see GH Tip). Toss the kale with remaining oil and cheese and scatter over the pasta. Cook in the oven for 15-20min, until bubbling and golden.
PER SERVING 588cals, 26g protein, 24g fat (10g saturates), 64g carbs (12g total sugars), 8g fibre GH TIP The mixture will also fit into a 1.7 litre (3 pint) ovenproof baking dish: cook for 20-25min, until piping hot through.