Cauliflower and Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

This is one of my all time favorite and healthy mac and cheese recipes. It is full of vegetables such as cauliflower, carrots, broccoli and tomatoes. 

This is the perfect macaroni and cheese to make for your kids because both the cauliflower and carrots are hidden in the sauce. You can easily replace the tomatoes and broccoli with other vegetables of your choice or leave them out all together. Your kids will never guess that they're eating their vegetables in a creamy and rich cheese sauce.

The combination of cream cheese, smoked gouda and asiago make a rich and flavorful sauce and topping for this mac and cheese. If smoked gouda is too strong of a cheese for you or your family you can easily replace it with whatever soft cheese you like.

Cauliflower and Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese:

(recipe adapted from: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com)

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

4 carrots, grated and diced

1 cup vegetable broth

1/4 cup cream cheese

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3/4 cup smoked Gouda, grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

12 ounces whole wheat penne

3 cups broccoli florets

2 plum tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup asiago cheese, grated

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add in the cauliflower and carrots. Cook for 15 minutes, until the cauliflower and carrots are tender.
3. In a blender combine the vegetable broth, cream cheese, Dijon, Gouda, salt and pepper. Take the cauliflower and carrots out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon and add to the blender. Blend to combine.
4. In the same boiling water that the vegetables were cooked in, add the pasta and cook until al dente. In the last minute of cooking add in the broccoli.
5. Drain the pasta and broccoli and then add back into the saucepan. Stir in the sauce and half of the plum tomatoes. Transfer the mac and cheese to a greased baking dish. Top with the remaining plum tomatoes and asiago cheese.
6. Bake for 35 minutes and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.