Mexican Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni

1 Tbs Earth Balance butter

1/2 onion, sliced

1 poblano pepper, sliced

1 cup kale, minced

2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced

3 carrots, sliced

1 can black olives, drained & rinsed

1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1/2 cup jalapeno queso cheese dip

1 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup mexican blend cheese, shredded

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta, cook for 8 mins, add carrots for the last minute, drain, and mix in jalapeno queso dip.

2. Meanwhile, saute onion for 2 minutes, add poblano pepper and mushrooms and saute another 4 minutes on medium low.

3. Add garlic, kale, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; saute 2 minutes

4. Stir in pinto beans and black olives; then mix with the cooked pasta

5. Mix in cilantro

6. In a 9X13 pan layer in pasta, sprinkling both cheeses in between the layers, and finish with a layer of cheese

7. Cover with tin foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes until cheese is melted

I was in the mood to make a baked mac & cheese and I wanted to make it healthier by adding veggies, so this is what I came up with. It's the perfect comfort food for this cold season. It's also great cold as leftovers.