Macaroni Cheese

I’ve always been a huge fan of macaroni cheese as it is the ultimate comfort food and a winning combination… (I love cheese & pasta!) I was beyond excited to find that Sainsbury’s are now selling gluten free macaroni and so I had to get myself a pack. This low FODMAP meal is quite rich, so you may want to trial it when you’re not having a flare up, but fingers crossed it shouldn’t cause any symptoms due to the lack of lactose and gluten. For the recipe below, I decided to add some tomato and broccoli for extra flavour and texture, but to also fool myself into thinking it’s slightly healthier than just a plate of rich, creamy, cheesy goodness. You could also add cauliflower (I do find this a little gassy personally), a little asparagus or bacon if you prefer.

I’ve also used Arla’s lactose free (Lactofree) procucts throughout (apart from the parmesan) and so far, I have been symptom free. The recipe below serves 4, so plenty for leftovers the next day, and as always, let me know if you give it a try!

Ingredients
250g cherry tomatoes
8-10 broccoli florets (about half a broccoli)
300g gluten free macaroni
175g lactose free cheddar cheese (grated)  – I used mild, but mature would give a cheesier flavour
700ml lactose free milk (semi-skimmed)
50g butter (I used vitalite dairy-free)
50g gluten free plain flour
parmesan to decorate

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees/gas mark 6. Place the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray (lined with tin foil) and prick with a knife. Roast for approx. 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, boil the broccoli in a pan on the hob for about 10 minutes. While this boils, weigh the ingredients for the roux sauce (milk, butter, flour) and add to a saucepan. Gently heat on the hob, stirring continuously with a whisk. This should take around 6 minutes to thicken.

Once the broccoli has been boiling for 5 minutes, add the macaroni to the pan. Give this a good stir to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick together or to the sides. If the broccoli cooks quickly, this can be removed and set on the side to prevent it going too mushy.

Once the roux sauce thickens, turn off the hob and stir in the cheddar cheese until it has melted and mixed into the sauce.

Use a large mixing bowl to combine the cheese sauce, macaroni, broccoli and tomato and serve into dishes. Decorate with parmesan and enjoy!

If you prefer your macaroni cheese baked, put a slice of gluten free bread in a food processor, sprinkle on the top of the pasta and bake for 10-15 minutes in an ovenproof dish (or until golden).