Eating a hearty, but nutritious meal is a great way to kick off a healthy mindset for Spring. mac n’ cheese often gets a bad rap for being an unhealthy comfort food, but there are so many ways to add flavor to this meal.
In this recipe, I used lactose-free cheese for those of you who are lactose intolerant, but you can surely use regular cow’s milk cheese if you can eat it.
Once the cheesy pasta was done, I added fresh thyme and crushed red pepper for a touch of sweetness and an extra punch of flavor and antioxidants. This amazing, fiber-filled and healthy flavor combo is sure to turn those upcoming April rainy days into happy days!
Swiss Chard & Thyme Mac n’ Cheese
Gluten-Free, Lactose-Free
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb. gluten-free pasta
- 3 Tbsp. dairy-free butter
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 3 1/2 cups almond milk
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 large bunch Swiss chard, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1 bag lactose-free shredded Mozzarella cheese (I used GO! Veggie cheese in this recipe)
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until translucent.
- Add flour and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring often. Add almond milk, sea salt and pepper, continue to mix and cook until mixture comes to a boil, approximately 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring often.
- Add Swiss chard, red pepper flakes, thyme and cheese. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add pasta and toss to coat.
- Serve warm and enjoy!