Who doesn’t love a big warm pan of comfort food on a cool and dreary day? This Creamy Tomato Baked Mac and Cheese is a new twist on an old classic. There are a lot of different variations of Mac and Cheese, but this is one that is sure to please even the pickiest eaters.
The secret to this recipe is the delicious creamy cheesy tomato sauce–not only does it taste great, but it has hidden nutrition powers thanks to canned tomatoes. These are a pantry superpower, and are teeming with vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and lycopene, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Plus, canned tomatoes actually have a higher lycopene content than fresh, as the cooking and canning process enhances the availability of the nutrient, making it easier for your body to absorb. Additionally, tomato products are great shelf-stable products that are affordable and also good for the environment. What’s not to love about that?!
Creamy Tomato Baked Mac and Cheese is perfect for all occasions: from a quick family dinner, to a work potluck, it’s sure to be a crowd favorite.
Creamy Tomato Baked Mac and Cheese
Who doesn’t love a big warm pan of comfort food on a cool and dreary day? This Creamy Tomato Baked Mac and Cheese is a new twist on an old classic. There are a lot of different variations of Mac and Cheese, but this is one that is sure to please even the pickiest eaters.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Ingredients
1 ½ cups elbow macaroni
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
2 cups milk
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 (14 oz.) can stewed tomatoes with juice
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
¾ cup plain panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a sprinkling of salt to water and add in the macaroni pasta. Cook until it is a few minutes away from becoming al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Heat a medium-sized oven safe skillet over medium heat. Add in the butter and allow it to melt. Then mix in the flour until combined. Cook the flour for about 1 minute then, while whisking, pour in the milk. Heat the milk for about 5 minutes then mix in the salt, pepper, and tomatoes.
Bring the sauce to a simmer while stirring constantly. Cook for 5-6 minutes until it has thickened. Add in the cheese and mix until fully melted. Then add in the pasta and mix until well combined.
Top the mac and cheese with the breadcrumbs and transfer the pan into the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Enjoy!
For other delicious comfort food recipes, check out some of our favorites:
When it comes to weeknights, we are always looking for new quick, easy, and family friendly meals. This Chicken Burrito Bowl checks all of the boxes, and is especially great for those families that have a picky eater or have different dietary restrictions. It’s easily customizable to fit your needs and preferences, while still being nutritious!
What makes this meal so delicious (and nutritious) is the combination of lean protein and canned tomatoes. The chicken add a heafy dose of protein, while the canned tomatoes provide a plethora of antioxidants (such as lycopene) that play an integral role in the reduction of certain types of diseases and cancers. In fact, numerous studies have linked lycopene consumption with prostate cancer protection. While lycopene is present in other fruits such as watermelon and pink grapefruit, tomatoes, which are the second most consumed vegetable (second to potatoes) in the U.S., account for more than 85% of the lycopene in the American diet. Interestingly, cooked tomato products—as in processed tomatoes, including tomato sauce and canned tomatoes—may hold particular significance. The lycopene from cooked and processed tomatoes is more bioavailable than that of fresh tomatoes. Heating or processing breaks down the tomato cell matrix and promotes isomerization of lycopene from all-trans isomers to the more bioavailable form of cis-isomers. Research shows that single daily servings of processed tomato products produce significant increases of lycopene concentrations in blood and buccal mucosal cells in healthy adults.
So, what are you waiting for? Try out this Chicken Burrito Bowl for a recipe that’s easy, delicious, and sure to be a family favorite!
Chicken Burrito Bowl
When it comes to weeknights, we are always looking for new quick, easy, and family friendly meals. This Chicken Burrito Bowl checks all of the boxes, and is especially great for those families that have a picky eater or have different dietary restrictions. It's easily customizable to fit your needs and preferences, while still being nutritious!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours5 minutes
Ingredients
1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 cup frozen corn
shredded cheese, for serving
chopped cilantro, for serving
sour cream, for serving
sliced avocado, for serving
salsa, for serving
jalapeno slices, for serving
Instructions
Add the chicken, diced tomatoes with the juice, chicken broth, chili powder, salt, and cumin into a slow cooker. Make sure the chicken is fully covered by the broth. Add more broth if necessary. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Uncover and add in the black beans, rice, and corn. Cover and continue cooking for another 3-4 hours. In the last hour of cooking, mix the rice two times to ensure it is cooking evenly. If the crock pot gets too dry and the rice is not fully cooked, add more broth. If the rice is cooked but there is still a lot of broth, cook on high to allow it to evaporate.
Use two forks to shred the chicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream, avocado, or salsa. Enjoy!
For other dinner dishes, check out some of our favorites:
Sloppy Joes may give you flashbacks to an elementary school lunchroom, but they are a fun meal that everyone will enjoy. This is also a recipe that keeps well in the refrigerator, so go ahead and enjoy those leftovers!
This dish is not only delicious, but it’s also teeming with nutrition, as it’s high in antioxidants thanks to the canned tomatoes. Lycopene is a carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red color, and has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. It also has the ability to neutralize free radicals within the body to prevent oxidative stress, which helps prevent damage to our cells and our DNA. While lycopene is present in other fruits such as watermelon and pink grapefruit, tomatoes (which are the second most consumed vegetable second to potatoes in the U.S.), account for more than 85% of the lycopene in the American diet. Interestingly, cooked tomato products may hold particular significance, as the lycopene from cooked and processed tomatoes is more bioavailable than that of fresh tomatoes. Heating or processing breaks down the tomato cell matrix and promotes isomerization of lycopene from all-trans isomers to the more bioavailable form of cis-isomers. Research shows that single daily servings of processed tomato products produce significant increases of lycopene concentrations in blood and buccal mucosal cells in healthy adults.
So, go ahead and try out these Sloppy Joes; we promise you won’t be disappointed!
Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes may give you flashbacks to an elementary school lunchroom, but they are a fun meal that everyone will enjoy. This is also a recipe that keeps well in the refrigerator, so go ahead and enjoy those leftovers!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Ingredients
1 red bell pepper, deseeded cored, and roughly chopped
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
8 oz. tomato sauce
3 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
¾ cup yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. ground beef
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
¾ tsp. Italian seasoning
4 burger buns
Instructions
Add the bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion turns translucent.
Then add the ground beef into the pan. Cook and crumble the beef until it has browned and fully cooked. Mix in the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Pour the blended sauce into the pan and mix it together with the beef. When the mixture starts to bubble, reduce the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and let it cool for 10 minutes. Serve the meat mixture with buns and enjoy!
For other delicious tomato-based recipes, check out some of our favorites:
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