Friday, June 13, 2008

Spinach Macaroni Cheese

Mmm - mac & cheese is one of my favourite dishes - however it is not all that great nutrition-wise; which is why Donna Hay's addition of spinach appealed to me because of the added nutritional value.

Some Facts About SPINACH:
  • In popular folklore, spinach is a rich source of iron. In reality, a 60 gram serving of boiled spinach contains around 1.9 mg of iron (slightly more when eaten raw).
  • Boiling spinach for four minutes can halve the level of folate.
  • Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, protein, phosphorous, zinc and vitamin E. In addition, it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin and selenium
Recipe:
  • 400g macaroni
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup pouring cream
  • 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar
  • 1 1/2 tbl Dijon mustard
  • sea salt & pepper
  • 150g baby spinach
  • 1 cup grated cheddar (for sprinkling on the top)
Preheat oven to 200C. Cook macaroni until al dente. Drain and return to the pan.
Add milk, cream, cheddar, mustard, salt & pepper, and spinach - mix to combine.
Spoon into large baking dish and top with extra cheddar. Bake for 10-15mins or until cheese browns. Serves 4.

Ease: 4.5/5. Pretty much no prep involved and very little active cooking.
Prep Time: 5mins. Just washing the spinach and getting all the ingredients out.
Cooking Time: 25mins. Pasta takes around 15. Oven browning takes around 10mins.
Total: 30mins.
Taste: 3/5.
Ok - but VERY watery, not what I am used to in a Mac & Cheese. The Spinach was a strong flavour, whilst the cheese barely came through. I think the 2cups of low fat milk may have caused the wateriness. I would suggest 1 1/2cups of full fat milk at most.

Would I make again: No.
Not a very good Mac & Cheese due to its consistency. Ryan hated the spinach in it, but I didn't mind it. Would be a good way to get kids to eat spinach.

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