Healthy Mac and Cheese With Hidden Veggies For Baby
Table of Contents
What Other Veggies Can I Hide In Mac and Cheese
In addition to carrots and cauliflower, you can enhance this mac and cheese with hidden veggies for baby with a variety of nutritious vegetables.
Spinach adds a lovely creaminess and vibrant colour while providing important vitamins. Peas offer a pop of sweetness and a pleasing texture that complements the dish.
Healthy vegetables such as courgette or butternut squash can be grated or finely diced, blending seamlessly into the cheesy mixture. A great way to add in a veggie they may not have tried yet.
Broccoli florets or sweet potatoes are another great option, delivering both flavour and health benefits to baby incorporating different veggies into their meal.
Finely chopped cooked red peppers can add a bit added sweetness, making your mac and cheese not only more colourful but also more nutritious, great for that picky eater of yours.
What Can I Add To Make It Tastier
Adding spices to mac and cheese can enhance the flavour while keeping it suitable for your little one. Try adding a pinch of nutmeg for a warm, nutty undertone, or paprika to introduce a subtle smokiness.
You can also use garlic powder or onion powder, which provide a gentle savoury depth without being overpowering.
For a touch of sweetness, a hint of cinnamon can work wonders. Always remember to start with small amounts and adjust according to your baby's taste preferences to make it a kid-friendly recipe.
These additions can make mealtime more exciting without compromising on the comfort of this classic dish.
Ingredient information
Carrots - I have used carrots for this recipe not only for the fun colour of the pasta dish but for the sweetness that carrots bring to a meal which kids and babies love.
Cauliflower - Cauliflower is a great veggie to add into dishes if mashed or blitzed to disguise in lots of different classic recipes such as spaghetti bolognaise or a cottage pie for different dinner ideas.
Cream cheese - I have added cream cheese to make a delicious creamy cheese sauce great for baby and toddler. If you did not have cream cheese you can use whole milk instead.
Cheese - I have used a mature cheddar cheese for this ultimate comfort food recipe to add extra flavour to the cheesy mac and cheese recipe. I find an extra sharp cheddar cheese is great for a mac and cheese recipe.
Macaroni - I have used the classic macaroni for the recipe but feel free to use another type of pasta such as penne, rigatoni or fuselli.
Serving suggestion
The hidden veggie mac would be great served with cooked vegetables such as broccoli florets or green beans, both are great options, or simply cucumber and extra cheese on top. Extra vegetables are always a fun idea to expose baby to different tastes and textures.
You can make the sauce and freeze into individual portions in ice cube trays and use when you may need.
Other recipes you may like: Individual pasta bakes, Chickpea pasta sauce or Cottage cheese mac and cheese.
Storage instructions
The hidden veg macaroni cheese can be stored in the fridge for future meals for up to 3 days, stored in an airtight container, or you could use a container with plastic wrap to cover the pasta.
If you wanted to freeze the pasta and the sauce together, you will need to store in an airtight container.
Make sure the baby pasta recipe has cooled to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container to the freezer.
To defrost the homemade mac and leave in the fridge overnight, and make sure it has fully defrosted.
To reheat the easy pasta recipe, transfer to a preheated oven on 180C or 350F and reheat on a medium-high heat.
Once the pasta has been defrosted and reheated you will not be able to re-freeze.
Equipment used to help with this recipe
Saucepan - So many pan sets out there but I particularly like to use pans with a non-stick surface for ease of cleaning and ones that are suitable for different types of hob surface.
Airtight container - I much prefer the click-shut lids on these containers compared to others. They are also dishwasher and freezer safe and BPA free, so very suitable for food use.
Nutri bullet - I have found a blender to be an invaluable tool in the preparation of many of my baby led weaning recipes.
Recipe | Healthy Mac and Cheese With Hidden Veggies For Baby
Healthy Mac and Cheese With Hidden Veggies For Baby
This is a quick hidden veg mac and cheese recipe great for baby-led weaning and older kids top.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start by placing the carrot and cauliflower in a saucepan with hot water on a medium heat and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Pop the macaroni in a large pot and add hot water and cook for 15 minutes until soft.
- Once the carrot and cauliflower is cooked pop into a food processor or a Nutri bullet with the cream cheese and a splash of water. Blitz the veggies until smooth.
- Drain the pasta and place back into the saucepan. Pour the veggie sauce over the pasta followed by the grated cheese and stir together.
- You may need to turn the heat on the hob to melt the cheese a little for a few minutes.
- Leave to cool slightly before serving to your baby.
Notes
It is very easy to make the recipe dairy free, all you will need to do is use a dairy free cheddar cheese and a dairy free cream cheese.
To make the recipe gluten free, you could use a gluten free penne pasta or gluten free macaroni pasta.
Hope you and your whole family enjoy!
©The Petit Spoon
Content and photographs are copyright protected and need prior permission to use elsewhere. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to other websites and any social media is strictly prohibited. Sharing and using the link of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated! Share this post now!
This is a great recipe for baby-led weaning. Perfect for teething gums. A great recipe for the entire family too if you make them into a bigger ice lolly.