Kale Bacon and Tomato Mac and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is not a health food.

It is time to accept the fact that you are eating a gooey concoction of cheese, pasta, milk and butter, no matter what you do. It pains me to see the plethora of "healthy" mac and cheese recipes that can be googled, with wheat pasta, or low fat cheese, but what those recipes are really doing is taking the deliciousness out of the dish. I've yet to find a "healthy" mac and cheese that is really both healthy and delicious. On the opposite end of the spectrum, with Valentine's around the corner, lobster mac and cheese renditions are just popping up everywhere. That's beyond accepting your fate. That's embracing it with open arms.

So I have come to accept the truth, that when I am going for mac and cheese, I'm going for a really unhealthy meal. It is what it is.

Nothing you can do about it.

What you CAN do is amp up the nutritional value by adding veggies into your typical mac and cheese, and cut back on fat sources that really don't add to the flavor, and mix in some cheese content that is a little easier on the system. Note: I am in no way, shape or form claiming that I have made mac and cheese healthy. I have simply added nutrition into the mix so that these calories aren't as extremely empty as they were before. This dish is still really bad for you. I would NOT recommend this as a diet. Got it?

Great. So what's different about this mac and cheese... well.. it is full of superfood kale, arugula and heirloom cherry tomatos. Instead of a sauce full of whole milk, I add a lesser amount of skim milk into my rue in order to keep it from getting too watery. Rather than use my usual sharp cheddar, I use a mix of grated gouda and creamy goat cheese. And while I'd love to pour in lots and lots of cheese, I use just what is needed.

All in all it is delicious. It is not healthy, but does provide some nutrients that aren't usually there and will be easier to get down if you're not in love with vegetables (which, if you haven't noticed, I'm not).

And without further ado...

Kale, Bacon and Tomato Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

1 pound of pasta (any shape, but I like shapes with grooves, they hold the cheese well)

3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cup skim milk

5 ounces grated gouda cheese

3 ounces crumbled goat cheese

1 ounce grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp olive oil

2 cups chopped and rinsed kale, ribs removed

1 cup arugula, rinsed and dried

1/2 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes (seeds removed)

1 slice of bacon cooked and chopped (it's mac and cheese afterall..)

Topping

1 cup breadcrumbs (fresh is best)

2 tbsp butter, melted

1 clove garlic finely minced

Bring a pot of water to a boil, enough to cook the pasta. While the water is heating up, saute the kale, arugula and tomatos in the olive oil. Set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter, and stir in flour, whisking until frothy. Add the milk slowly, still whisking at medium heat until creamy, about 5-6 minutes. Turn off the heat, but keep on the burner and add grated cheese, whisking until melted.

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Stir vegetables into pasta and mix well. Add cheese sauce and stir well. Add to a baking dish (9x9 for thicker servings, 9x13 for thinner servings).

Stir together garlic, butter and breadcrumbs for the topping. Sprinkle mixture over the pasta mixture and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Cut and serve with a spatula. Enjoy!