Lactose-Intolerant Friendly Mac & Cheese with Broccoli and Cauliflower recipe
This week’s Vindicate the Vegetable is Brocolli. Broccoli is another veggie that hubby and I love to have as a side. Normally, I just steam some fresh broccoli and serve it along the side of any main course. But that’s not very exciting to blog about. I thought I’d try out some of the new cheeses I recently found and make up some mac-n-cheese with cauliflower and broccoli like I saw Rachel Ray make recently.
I really liked this mac-n-cheese. I was so excited to be able to eat a cheesey meal!! The brocolli and cauliflower add some texture and flavor to the mix. I definitely think this recipe would not have been as good without the brocolli.
Mac-n-Cheese – from Rachel Ray
Coarse salt
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (corkscrew-shaped pasta) – I used Penne
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets – I used 1/2 head of cauliflower and 1/2 head of brocolli
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter – I used Earth Balance
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk – I used soy milk
1 cup chicken stock or broth
3 cups shredded smoked Gouda – I used Sheep milk Gouda and sheep milk cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper 
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to season the cooking water, then add the pasta. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the cauliflower and cook for 3 minutes more or until pasta is cooked al dente and the florets are just tender. Drain well and return to the pot.
While the pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and heat with the butter until it melts. Add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to sweat them out and turn the juices sweet. Raise the heat a bit, then whisk in the flour, cayenne, and paprika. Whisk together until the roux bubbles up, then cook for 1 minute more. Whisk in the milk and stock and raise the heat a bit higher to bring the sauce to a quick boil. Once it bubbles, drop the heat back to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the cheese to the thickened sauce and stir to melt it, a minute or so. Stir in the mustard and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Pour over the cauliflower and cooked pasta and toss to combine. Adjust the seasonings, transfer to a large platter, and serve.
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
These look great – I did a pumpkin lasagna a while ago and loved it so I know these have to be amazing!
Pam @ From Apples to Zucchini
the rolls are so cute!!! they look delicious!
I have been bookmarking all of your butternut squash recipes, but this one is going to the top of the list! The goat cheese is the perfect flavor accompaniment.
Yay! Another recipe to add to my to-make list. It’s great that you can freeze this because my fiance doesn’t like butternut squash. I can make the whole thing for myself and take it for lunches!
So delicious! I’m loving this week long butternut squash event…so many tasty recipes!
Awesome and delicious-looking idea! I love lasagna that’s different from the typical and butternut squash is perfect!
Sues
I’ve never though of squash rolled up in lasagna noodles–love the idea!!
Delicious use of the squash. I love this lasagna rolls.
I like lasagna rolls too – so much more fun than a traditional lasagna. I like the simplicity of this recipe too. Sounds delicious. I’d love to see you improve Martha’s butternut mac and cheese!!
These lasagna rolls look ADORABLE! I love the idea of a freezer meal party!
what a fabulous idea for freezer meals! and these sound DELISH 🙂
I made these again a few weeks ago – I almost forgot how delicious they are! I love that you subbed in the Greek yogurt and goat cheese, mmm 🙂
I’m making a meatless alternative with a spinach bechamel sauce… Although I do love bacon…
beantownbaker — January 27th, 2013 @ 4:08 pm
That sounds delicious. Let me know how it turns out!
Do you have any idea of the calorie count in these? They look phenomenal!
beantownbaker — November 7th, 2013 @ 7:31 pm
Sorry I don’t calculate nutritional information for my recipes. There are some online tools that you can use to do so yourself if you’re interested.