SQUARE MEAL MAC 'N CHEESE

SQUARE MEAL MAC 'N CHEESE

This one is a shout-out to those of you with picky eaters...even my ultra-finicky daughter gets all the food groups in when I make this.

Ingredients:

(Makes approximately 2 kid-size portions)

1 packet Trader Joe's (or other single serving) Microwavable Mac 'n Cheese

10 baby carrots, sliced

Handful garbanzo beans, drained

Handful spinach leaves, torn or chopped into miniscule bits

Olive oil

Parmesan cheese

Water

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a small sautee pan over medium heat. Add garbanzo beans and cook for approximately 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, place carrots in a microwave safe bowl and add a few tablespoons of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for one minute; stir; cook another minute; stir; cook one more minute.

3. Drain water from carrots and add to beans in pan.

4. Mash beans and carrots in pan with a fork until well mixed.

5. Follow directions for making mac 'n cheese.

6. Add spinach and a tablespoon or so of parmesan cheese to pan and mix well. Cook one or two more minutes.

7. Combine veggie mix with cooked mac 'n cheese. Sprinkle with more parmesan cheese.

Notes:

*Kids can help by stirring the cheese into the cooked macaroni (my daughter loves that).

*If necessary, feel free to recreate "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" with your parmesan pile...atleast they're getting dairy, grains, legumes and two colors (!) of veggies.

*This is a good one if you're trying to feed kids from different age groups...just leave out the extra parmesan for little ones when you're concerned about the sodium.

*My daughter will eat this despite a passionately-professed dislike of beans...I'm not sure she actually knows there are beans in it and I am not about to tell her. If you know her, please don't tell her either, okay?