Jeweled Mac-n-Cheese

16oz of Gluten Free pasta (I use 2 boxes of Andean Dream Fusilli GF pasta, it holds up well with the thick cheese sauce)

5oz Gouda Cheese

5oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese

5oz Gruyere or other good quality Swiss Cheese

1 LB Jewel or Garnet Yam

1 can butter or navy beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp all-purpose GF flour blend

1 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

1.5 cups milk (I use whole milk)

For the yam: wash, pierce with fork, wrap in foil and roast in a 350* degree oven until fork tender. Unwrap and cool. When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skin. Alternatively, microwave, 3 min at a time, until fork tender.

Grate the cheeses, set aside. The fastest and easiest way to do this is with the grater attachment for a food processor.

Purée cooked yam with the rinsed and drained beans in the food processor until smooth, set aside. Tip: add a 1/4 cup of the 1 1/2 cups of milk, if extra moisture is needed to help purée.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to the package, set aside in a large mixing bowl.

In the large pot, used for cooking the pasta, melt 2 Tbsp butter

Whisk in 2 Tbsp all-purpose GF flour, whisking for 1-2 minutes.

Add the ground Mustard, Cumin, Cayenne pepper, Salt, and Pepper to the butter/flour mixture and whisk for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the roasted sweet potato and white bean puree to the herb mixture and whisk for 2 minutes.

Add milk, continually whisking until it is heated, do not boil.

Turn off heat and add grated cheese a handful at a time. Mixing until melted. 

Stir the cheese sauce in with the cooked pasta and serve.

Leftover mac-n-cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. It’s great for a quick lunch.

Topping option!

My kids prefer their Mac-n-Cheese without a topping, but when I make this for a big family dinner, I go one step further and add a breadcrumb topping. Scoop the Mac-n-Cheese into a 9” x 13” oven safe dish and cover with a GF breadcrumb topping (see below). Pre-heat the oven to 375* and bake until golden brown and bubbling.

I cook a double batch of pasta so that I can have one dish of Mac-n-Cheese without a topping and one dish with the breadcrumb topping. I have a big family and need two dishes of Mac-n-Cheese, plus I love having leftovers.

For the crumb topping:

You can buy GF breadcrumbs and combine 1 1/2 cups with 4 TBSP melted butter.

You can also quickly make your own.

In a food processor combine torn up pieces of GF bread from about 1/2 - 3/4 of a loaf of bread with 4 TBSP of butter, that has been cut up into pieces; pulse until crumbly.

Spread evenly over the Mac-n-Cheese.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking

Anne Barbo Moon

Disclaimer:

While we have more than eleven years’ experience of navigating the world as the parents of a child with Celiacs, we are not physicians, nutritionists, or other licensed medical professionals. The material and content contained in the Services is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for consultation, diagnosis or medical treatment by a licensed medical professional. Please consult your doctor for any medical or health-related questions. The information contained in the Services should NOT be used to disregard medical or health-related advice from a physician or licensed medical professional.