Kale Mac and Cheese

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With just one week left in the semester, I’m currently trying to clean out my fridge before I go home for a month.  Since there will be no more trips to the grocery store, it’s time to get creative with what I have.  That’s where this Kale Mac and Cheese came in!

Made with coconut milk and brown rice/quinoa pasta, this is a lightened up version with an added burst of glowing green kale.

It’s the perfect recipe for a cold night or whenever you’re craving some cheesy goodness, without feeling heavy and sluggish afterwards!  This recipe is a single serving, so make sure you double or triple it for multiple people.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Trader Joe’s Brown Rice and Quinoa Pasta (regular and whole wheat work too!)
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (I used part skim)
  • 2 handfuls chopped kale (more or less depending on personal preference)
  • Olive oil
  • 2 cloves chopped garlic
  • Sprinkle of Mrs. Dash Italian Blend or basil, oregano, etc if you don’t have Mrs. Dash

Directions

  • Boil pasta, set aside
  • Heat olive oil and garlic in a pan until garlic slightly browns
  • On medium heat, add in kale and cover to wilt slightly (about 3 minutes)
  • Add in coconut milk and increase heat slightly, stirring
  • Sprinkle in a little Mrs. Dash
  • Allow kale to wilt further until it gets to the desired consistency.  Mine was about 5 minutes, but if you like crunchier kale sauté for less
  • Stir in cheese until it’s melted (might stick to the kale, if so, separate with spatula or add more coconut milk)
  • Pour over pasta and enjoy!

 

2 thoughts on “Kale Mac and Cheese

  1. I often add chopped veggies to mac and cheese to make it more rounded. I’ve used kale, spinach, peas and onion.

    I’ve never tried Brown Rice and Quinoa Pasta before though. What’s the texture like?

    1. I find that the texture is just like normal pasta if you cook it for a short period of time, about 7 minutes. If you cook it too long it can get mushy, but if you cook it just right it’s delicious!!

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