When I was growing up, macaroni and cheese came out of a box and was bright orange. This wonderful invention was a staple in my childhood and university years and many variations of the original have been introduced since (white cheddar cheese… yum!) When I discovered that I could make this dish “healthier” with the addition of cauliflower (and minus the orange colour), I decided to come up with a recipe with the help of the Thermomix. This recipe also includes cannellini beans to increase the protein and uses light versions of milk and cheese to cut down on the fat.
Serve 4-6
Ingredients
250g reduced fat cheese, cut into 2cm pieces
1 onion, peeled and quartered
400g cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
400g cauliflower florets in 5cm pieces
500g cauliflower florets in 2cm pieces
400g reduced-fat (2%) milk
300g macaroni
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to season
Instructions
1. To make the cheese sauce, put cheese into the Thermomix bowl and grate with the measuring cup (MC) on for 8 seconds/Speed 8; remove to a bowl
2. Put onion into the Thermomix bowl and chop with the MC on for 3 seconds/Speed 5
3. Add beans, 5cm cauliflower florets and milk and cook with the MC off for 20 minutes/100C/Speed soft
4. While the sauce cooks, heat water in a large saucepan and cook pasta according to packet instructions; adding the 2cm cauliflower florets into the saucepan with 3 minutes to go in the cooking time and covering with a lid
5. Drain pasta and cauliflower but do not rinse with cold water; add back to the saucepan
6. Once the sauce stops cooking, put the MC on the Thermomix and blend for 1 minute – going slowly from speed 1 to speed 8 – to create a smooth sauce
7. Add cheese, mustard, salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes/90C/Speed 4
8. To serve, combine sauce with the pasta and cauliflower in the saucepan
