Mac ‘n’ cheese: everyone’s favorite meal no matter what your age may be. You can’t deny your constant secret craving for a nice bowl of warm and creamy mac ‘n’ cheese, especially when you’re on a college budget. This time, the famous recipe is taken up a notch by adding in a popular ingredient: avocado. Yes, I said it. It may seem like an unlikely combination, but trust me; it’s worth giving a chance. This recipe is perfect to change up your average mac ‘n’ cheese recipe (which you probably eat twice a week anyway), plus avocado is just amazing. In addition to being delicious, avocado is high in potassium, vitamins B6 and E and is also shown to lower cholesterol, keep your heart healthy and lower risk of inflammatory disorders. Before I write a 10-page novel on how awesome avocado is, here’s the recipe.
What you’ll need:-1 pound of elbow macaroni-2 garlic cloves-2 pitted and sliced avocados-2 tablespoons of lime juice-1/3 cup of chopped cilantro-2 tablespoons of butter-2 tablespoons of all purpose flour-1 cup of milk-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese-Salt and pepper
How to make it:1. Boil water in a large pot, and add in macaroni. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes.2. While macaroni is cooking, make the avocado sauce by combining the salt, pepper, lime juice, garlic, avocados and cilantro in a blender. Blend until creamy.3. Make the cheese sauce by heating the butter on a small pan over medium heat. When melted, add in the flour and milk to create a paste. Then, mix in the cheese until creamy.4. Drain macaroni when done, and put it in a large bowl.5. Mix the avocado sauce into the macaroni, and then stir in the cheese sauce until the macaroni is completely coated.6. Feel free to finish the recipe off with chunks of avocado or season with a splash of salt and pepper. Since avocados brown quickly, the lime juice is necessary to keep it fresh, but it is still best eaten on the first or second day.
I hope you enjoy this delicious spin on your childhood favorite dish, mac ‘n’ cheese. Make sure you refrigerate any leftovers (if there are any)! Get cooking, collegiettes!
Photo credit: communitytable.com