Mom Hack: Dino Mac and Cheese with Veggies Recipe

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Dino mac and cheese is a hit in our house and today I am sharing our toddler friendly + favorite dino mac and cheese with veggies recipe!

Earlier today on my Instagram, I shared the boys gushing over their dinosaur Mac and Cheese. And immediately started getting messages about it! Two things – heck yes we used boxed Mac and Cheese with veggies. One, it’s delicious. Two, I can’t eat gluten or yeast. Three, whatever – they live on fruit and beets and other hoity-toity healthy foods that mom and dad eat. Boxed Mac and Cheese isn’t the end of the world. PLUS I have found the most awesome little mom hack to make it so much healthier. And I swear, they both eat way more when its green Dino / Hulk Mac and Cheese versus the regular.

Mom Hack: How to make your boxed Mac and Cheese healthier

This recipe for mac and cheese with veggies seriously takes 5 minutes.

While the water is waiting to boil before I pour in the noodles, I grab my 3 ingredients. Spinach, broccoli, and plain (full fat) greek yogurt. I use frozen veggies, because, well, convenience, but you can use fresh as well. For mixing/ blending I use my Nutri Ninja. But you can use a food processor, too! Ours just broke during the move and I haven’t replaced it yet.

How to Make Dino Mac and Cheese:

To the blender I add: a handful of spinach, a handful of broccoli, and do about 4 tablespoons (I eyeball it with a regular spoon) of greek yogurt. You may need a splash of water to help everything emulsify. I typically add the spinach, broccoli and greek yogurt to the mixer first, set it to extract, and walk away. Once the water has boiled and I add the noodles, I go back to the blender. This is when I add like 1/2 – 3/4 of the boxed Mac and Cheese cheese stuff. OR, if I’m feeling really fancy, I add a little sprinkling and just shred some extra sharp cheddar and white cheddar together and throw it in the blender. 

If you’re mixture is too thick, don’t worry about it. Just add a tiny bit more greek yogurt and remember a little goes a long way.

When the noodles are done, pour them into a colander. Pour the green Dino / Hulk Cheese mixture into the bowl you just cooked the noodles in, then add the noodles over top. Mix, mix, mix. And serve!

That’s it. 

Seriously so easy, and I love that it takes seconds to mom hack boxed Mac and Cheese into something a little healthier. At least this time it was organic Mac and Cheese, right?!

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Dino Mac and Cheese with Veggies Recipe

You’ll need:

1. Frozen or fresh spinach
2. Frozen or fresh broccoli
3. Plain Greek yogurt (full fat)
4. Hummus (I love garlic, but any flavor works!)
5. Pasta of your choice. (We use boxed Mac and Cheese a lot!)
6. Blender / food processor. I use the Nutri Ninja for EVERYTHING. 

How to:

1. Add handful of spinach, and handful of broccoli to blender cup.
2. Add 2-3 tablespoons of plain greek yogurt and 2-3 tablespoons of hummus, and blend.
3. If mixture is too thick, add a tiny bit more greek yogurt / hummus. (I do hummus first, then greek yogurt) *Optional*: add your own fresh cheese, and blend again – this is where you can add some of the boxed cheese mix, if you’d like.
4. When noodles are done, pour out of pot and into colander. 
5. Add Dino / Hulk green cheese mixture to bottom of still warm pot, then noodles on top.
6. Mix, and serve!

PLEASE let me know if I didn’t explain anything enough, or if you have any questions!

If you loved this post, I think you’ll love these other ones:

Easy Toddler Approved Gluten-Free and Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

Three Kid-Approved Fall Smoothies to Make For Breakfast

Gluten Free Oatmeal Rainbow Power Bites Recipe