Name: Mac ‘n’ Cauliflower Cheese
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 50g butter or dairy-free spread; 4tbsp wholemeal or buckwheat flour; 500ml milk of your choice; 100g mature cheedar cheese,; One tin butter beans -; 400g pasta of your choice -; One small cauliflower; Toppings: extra grated cheese, blended seeds

Not many kids don’t enjoy mac and cheese, but this one is levelled up for extra plant points, fibre and protein with some easy additions to the cheese sauce and pasta!

Suitable from: 6+ months of age

Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Prep time: 15-30 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients

50g butter or dairy-free spread
4tbsp wholemeal or buckwheat flour - (can sub for plain flour)
500ml milk of your choice
100g mature cheedar cheese, - grated
One tin butter beans - - blended with 2 tbsp milk (use a food processor or hand blender)
400g pasta of your choice - - for extra fibre, why not try 50/50 white and whole wheat pasta
One small cauliflower - (option of roasting cauliflower first - add 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1 heaped teaspoon of garlic granules)
Toppings: extra grated cheese, blended seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180*C.
Put your pasta on a boil, following the packet instructions. If you do not want to roast your cauliflower for this dish, you can also add your cauliflower to the pasta pan to cook alongside.
If you are roasting your cauliflower (this adds a great depth of flavour), break your cauliflower into small florets, drizzle over oil and spices/flavourings, and place either in the oven to roast for 25-30 minutes or into an air fryer at 190*C for 15 minutes.
Prepare your cheese sauce by melting butter in a pan and adding flour to make a roux. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Once smooth, add your grated cheese and butter bean paste.
Once your pasta is cooked, cauliflower is roasted, and cheese sauce is made. Combine these into a baking dish of your choice. Sprinkle over extra cheese, herbs and some milled seeds for extra crunch.

Lucy Upton The Children’s Dietitian

Paediatric Dietitian, Nutritionist and child feeding expert. Lucy is a specialist children's dietitian and feeding therapist with over 14 years of experience. She is passionate about helping all children and their families achieve happiness and health with food and nutrition. Lucy's knowledge of front-line dietetics and nutrition, after over ten years in the NHS, helps to bring experienced, honest, and pragmatic advice to support families and those interested in child nutrition. She has a breadth of experience working in both the NHS and private sector, as well as being an advisor in the early years's public health arena and as a feeding therapist. Lucy is now Director of The Children's Dietitian Ltd, where she and her team enjoy spending much of their time supporting babies and children with tummy troubles, food allergies, feeding difficulties, weaning, growth concerns or those requiring specialist medical and nutrition guidance. She also continues her valuable work as a feeding therapist at The Feeding Trust. She supports essential work within the early years nutrition arena in her role at The Infant & Toddler Forum.