Grown-Up Mac ‘n Cheese- 2 cups (8 oz.) gluten-free/whole-wheat penne
- 1 lb. spinach leaves, trimmed
- ¼ cup olive oil or butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour/gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2 cups fat-free milk/soy milk
- ½ cup plus 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese/Daiya cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg, optional
- Optional toppings: chopped tomatoes, hot sauce, scallions, etc.
the method:
- Cook penne according to package directions. Drain, and set aside.
- Heat large pot over medium-high heat. Add spinach, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until wilted, stirring with tongs to cook all leaves. Drain, and press out any excess liquid. Coarsely chop wilted spinach, and set aside.
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook 5 minutes, or until sauce has thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, then add penne, spinach, 1/2 cup Parmesan, garlic, and nutmeg, if using, to sauce, and stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Transfer to prepared baking dish, sprinkle remaining 2 Tbs. Parmesan over mixture, and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until top is browned.Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 11- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
fueled by vegetables 
This looks so good! A must-try for sure!!
“Grown up”….I love it!
I need to sneak veggies in for my boyfriend wherever I can!! xoxo
My hubby used to have to do that with me. 🙂
Mmmmm looks so amazing
This sounds like a great recipe! Thanks for sharing 🙂
yum yum yumm it was! I made it & loved it so much! Easy does it too!
Awesome – I am glad you liked it! It is going to be one of my go-to recipes when I don’t feel like cooking that much!! xoxo
This looks very simple and yummy. I might dare say that my kids would eat it also! I will try it for dinner one night with a side or two of veggies!
Looks great, your website is right up my ally in how I like to eat! 🙂