Homemade GF Mac and Cheese with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

Mac and Cheese is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. Because I am so busy taking care of Wesley, I sometimes forget to eat... even when I am hungry! It is amazing how many things there are to get done in a day when you have a curious toddler tearing apart the house... So when I do remember to eat a meal, I try to make sure that it is packed with a lot of different nutrients to make sure that I can continue to keep up with my very active child.

Given that information, mac and cheese is a hard dish to justify because it really only offers calcium in addition to all the fat and calories. There are a few changes that I make to a traditional mac and cheese so as to get the most nutritional value without losing out on flavor. The first step is to use quinoa pasta. Quinoa pasta is a great source for dietary fiber and protein, it has a nice texture and it is delicious!

Next, I add roasted brussels sprouts. And of course, if I add brussels sprouts, I should definitely add some bacon because they are best friends and we don't want them to miss each other. (And because everything is better with bacon.) The key is to add just a small amount so as to  not overwhelm the entire dish and take away from all your nutrition-adding hard work.

The recipe below is just one portion. You can easily double, triple, quadruple, etc if you need to feed other people's faces too :)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup dry quinoa pasta
1/2 -1 full strip bacon
1 cup shredded brussels sprouts, raw
1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, gruyere, mozzarella, monterey jack)
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper to taste

Optional ingredients: 
1 heaping tablespoon cooked lentils (optional)
red pepper flakes
roasted garlic
chicken stock (to cook the pasta, instead of water)

Method: 
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Place shredded brussels sprouts in a dark baking pan and coat with olive oil and a little salt. Place in the preheated oven and stir occasionally. Roast until you have a nice combination of brown, dark green and light green pieces of brussels sprouts. This should take about 15 minutes, depending on your oven.

2) While your sprouts are roasting, cook the pasta until you have reached your preferred doneness. To me, quinoa pasta is a little gummy and I kind of like that. I don't worry about overcooking when it comes to quinoa pasta.

3) Cook your bacon until it is nice and crispy. Chop the bacon into small pieces. Set aside.

4)When the pasta is ready, drain the excess water and add lentils, milk, butter, cheese and pepper. Stir over low heat until well combined. Make sure to scrape the bottom for some extra cheese. Wait until after you have added the sprouts and bacon to see if you need any additional salt.

5) When you are ready to serve, you can either layer the different elements on your plate or in a bowl, or you can choose to mix everything together. If presentation matters, (i.e. I am serving other people) I will plate the mac and cheese first, then top with brussels sprouts and then garnish with bacon. If I am eating alone, I just mix everything together in a bowl and go at it!

Optional cooking instruction: You can also pan roast your brussels sprouts in the bacon fat for some extra yumminess!