Will your kids guess the secret (and healthy!) ingredient? You may even be surprised yourself: Tofu!

I’m posting this now for you moms who might want to keep a bowl in the fridge for after-school snacks or put in kids’ lunches. It’s great hot or cold. My son Jake will stand in front of the fridge with a fork and eat it right out of the fridge until I catch him!

When Anne and I were reunited in 1999 as a birth mother and daughter we discovered that we had many things in common, not the least of which was our shared love of cooking and enjoying good food. We spent many late nights in our kitchens cooking and catching up on a lifetime of experiences. Anne had spent many years as a vegetarian and I had been cooking for kids for many years, so we developed this wonderful synergy of healthy (Anne) meets homey (me). A wonderful thing was born of our reunion: a tofu cookbook! I am very proud of our “101 Things to do with Tofu,” published by Gibbs Smith, publisher.

This recipe was created for the book, now with a few small tweaks, and has become a Sunday lunch staple at our home. We love it even better than the roux-based mac and cheese that was its predecessor in my kitchen. It is creamy and comforting. Any Sunday, stop by my house and we’ll dish you up some surprisingly yummy “tofu mac.”

HEALTHY LUNCHBOX MAC ‘N’ CHEESE

1 bag (16 ounces) regular or whole wheat elbow macaroni
½ cup evaporated milk
1 container (16 ounces) silken tofu
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Cook macaroni according to directions on package, then drain and set aside. In blender, add tofu one spoonful at a time to milk, blending until smooth. Add seasoned salt and Tabasco. Pour tofu mixture into pan and cook over medium heat until bubbly. Slowly add in cheese, stirring until melted. Add in macaroni and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

Other unique mac’s by food bloggers:
Triple Smokey Macaroni and Cheese, Herbivoracious
Gruyere and Tomatoes Mac and Cheese, Andrea’s Recipes
Low Carb Macaroni and Cheese, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Bacon Mac and Cheese, Not Quite Nigella
Spicy Italian Mac and Cheese, Chili Cheese Fries

More info about “101 Things To Do With Tofu” here.

– posted by Donna