There’s nothing more comforting than pulling out a rich, creamy, decadent mac and cheese from the oven, with the cheesy sauce bubbling up from the sides, and the shards of pasta and breadcrumbs top a crispy golden brown.
Despite being one of the most warming dishes on the planet, after just a couple of mouthfuls it can send you into a food coma, with diners wanting a nap and needing a walk to try and wake up from the post-food slump. However, one nutritionist has come to the rescue of any macaroni lover with a recipe that is still as creamy as ever, but full of nutrients that won’t hurt the waistline.
Emily English took to her 750,000 TikTok followers to share her recipe, with the inclusion of a whole host of ‘super greens’ leaving a portion only clocking 530 calories but also including an impressive 35g of protein. The pasta dish hides a healthy amount of leafy green veg, with the recipe calling for broccoli, leeks, kale or cavolo nero, celery, courgette, a shallot and some peas.
Not only does the variety of veg taste great, but also supports your gut health. The mix of vegetables helps to feed the bacteria in your gut creating a wider micro-biome that can have huge benefits for everything from weight management to mental health.
But don’t misunderstand the meal, the dish is still chocked full of cheese with Emily using a combination of mature cheddar and Swiss Gruyère to make it even more luxurious. In the video, the influencer said: “As a nutritionist, you know I love to get in my greens, but do you know what’s better than a greens juice – mac and cheese. It’s absolutely delicious, perfect for a mid-week meal and it stores super well. It’s one of the recipes you don’t have to follow along exactly and you can use pretty much any veggies you like”
The Recipe
Emily begins by finely chopping the leeks, celery, onion as well as shredding the leafy greens like the kale or broccoli into bitesize chunks. Then, she fries the harder veg off in a large skillet with a good glug of olive oil for around 10 minutes or until softened, before adding some rosemary and black pepper.
She then mixes in a heaped tablespoon of plain flour, mixing it in and letting it cook out for a minute, before gradually whisking in some milk – stirring constantly. Then add a stock cube and Dijon mustard and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Next, stir in some cooked and shredded chicken, peas, kale, broccoli and leave to wilt for around five minutes. Finally for the sauce, take off the heat and stir in the cheese and mix in the cooked pasta.
Add everything into a baking dish along with bread, garlic, basil, parsley and salt you’ve blitzed into a crumb and bake for 15 minutes until delicious golden brown and bubbling. Leave to cool for a few minutes before tucking into the guilt-free treat.