In wintertime, it’s normal to find yourself eating less greens.
You want warm. You want comfort. You want easy.
This recipe is one I use again and again because it’s warm, comforting, and easy.
What Greens Should You Use?
Truly, any green you have in your fridge (especially ones that might be a little wilty) or any that you have tucked away in your freezer can be used in this recipe.
I find that using collard greens or kale in this recipe are best, because the cooking tenderizes their leaves, but still provide you with the bountiful vitamins and minerals they’re known for.
If you recently picked up a green at the farmers market that you aren’t exactly sure what to use it for, like mustard greens or dandelion greens, this recipe is a good option because the familiarity of the noddles and cheese will make the “new green” less daunting.
Mac and Cheese with Collard Greens (30 minutes)
- 8 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles (about 2 cups)
- 4 cups chopped collard greens
- 1 ¾ cups low-fat milk, divided
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
- 2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and collards and cook according to the pasta package directions. Drain.
- Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large broiler-safe skillet over medium-high heat until just simmering. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk, flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl until combined. Add the flour mixture to the simmering milk; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in Cheddar, cream cheese and vinegar until the cheese is melted. Stir the pasta and collards into the sauce.
- Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler to high. Combine breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the pasta. Broil until golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes.
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Other recipes on the blog:
Schul Farmstead 