Welcome to the blog and thanks for taking the time to stop by on another Meatless Monday. We support this great movement because it promotes green living through choosing eco-friendly meat-free food choices one day per week in support of personal and planetary health. A small sacrifice for a great reward.

Do you and your family love broccoli in a cheese sauce? How about macaroni and cheese? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, then this is the dish for you. Our recipe today is for a spicy mac and 3 cheeses with broccoli. The cheese sauce in this meal is light and delicious. This recipe comes courtesy of daytime darling Rachel Ray’s talk show The Rachel Ray Show. Since we know what’s for dinner, let’s get cooking.

Ingredients
• 4 cups broccolini florets, chopped broccoli rabe or broccoli florets
• Salt
• 1 pound whole wheat penne, twists or elbows or brown rice pasta
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots, very finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small Fresno chili pepper or red cherry pepper, seeded and very finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• Pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded yellow sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded aged Gouda cheese
• 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggaino cheese, freshly shredded
• A few sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped

Preparation
Bring a few inches of water to a boil. Salt water and parboil broccoli, rabe or broccolini 4-5 minutes. Drain and cold shock, then dry on kitchen towels. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and undercook the pasta by about 2 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat a saucepot over medium heat with EVOO and butter. Sauté shallots, garlic and chilies 2-3 minutes then add flour and stir 1 minute. Whisk in milk and season sauce with salt and pepper, melt in cheddar and Gouda. Combine pasta with broccoli, broccolini or rabe and the sauce, and transfer to a baking dish. Top with Parm cheese, sprinkle with fresh thyme and bake until brown and bubbly.

This recipe for spicy mac and 3 cheeses with broccoli, yields six servings but can be adjusted as needed. Incorporating broccoli or broccolini florets, chopped broccoli rabe into macaroni and cheese might make these veggies more appealing to kids. If they haven’t ever had broccolini or broccoli rabe it’s a great way to introduce the new vegetables with a dish they are sure to love. Serve with a light vinegar-based salad. If you try this recipe please let us know how it turned out, as your feedback is always appreciated.

If you want to learn more about the eco-friendly Meatless Monday movement, please visit meatlessmonday.com and take the pledge today.  

Enjoy!