CREAMY BROCCOLI & BACON PASTA BAKE

KIDS ‘CROWD-PLEASER’ MEAL (WITH HIDDEN VEGGIES!)

INGREDIENTS:
500g (1 PKT) PASTA (EG. MACCARONI OR RIGATONI)
2 TBSP OIL
1 CUP BACONS BITS (REPLACE WITH CHICKPEAS FOR VEGETARIAN OPTION)
1 BROCCOLI HEAD (CHOPPED INTO FLORETS)
1 CUP HEAVY CREAM
2 CUPS HARD CHEESE EG. CHEDDAR (GRATED)

OPTIONAL-ADDITIONAL VEGETABLES
1 LEEK, 2 CARROTS &/OR 1 ZUCCHINI (WASHED, SLICED HORIZONTALLY AND COOKED LIKE THE BROCCOLI)

GARNISH: 
1 CUP HARD CHEESE (GRATED)
SALT & GROUND PEPPER TO TASTE
1 TSP GARLIC POWDER
1 CUP BREADCRUMBS OR PANKO
1 TSP ITALIAN HERBS (OR ANY FRESH GREEN HERBS)

UTENSILS:
SAUCEPAN, COLANDER, SERVING SPOON, MEASURING CUP & SPOONS, GRATER, KNIFE, CHOPPING BOARD, OVEN PROOF DISH. 

METHOD:
PUT THE PASTA IN A LARGE SAUCEPAN WITH BOILING WATER, 1/2 TSP SALT AND TBSP OF OIL.  
AFTER 5 MINUTES, PLACE THE BROCCOLI (AND ANY OTHER VEGETABLES YOU’D LIKE TO ADD) IN A COLANDER, RESTING ABOVE THE BOILING PASTA.
STEAM THE BROCCOLI/VEGETABLES (SO THAT THE NUTRIENTS ARE NOT LOST) FOR 5 MINUTES.
WHEN THE PASTA AND VEGETABLES ARE ‘AL DENTE’ (SLIGHTLY UNDERCOOKED), DRAIN THE WATER (EXCEPT FOR ½ CUP) USING THE COLANDER, AND SET ASIDE. 
MEANWHILE, ADD THE BACON BITS INTO A FRYING PAN WITH A TBSP OF OIL. COOK UNTIL THE BACON STARTS TO BROWN AND SET ASIDE.
ADD THE PASTA AND THE VEGETABLES TO THE BAKING DISH, FOLLOWED BY THE CREAM, THE PASTA WATER, BACON BITS, GRATED CHEESE AND STIR. 

TOPPING: 
SPRINKLE: CHEESE, BREADCRUMBS, GARLIC POWDER, SALT, PEPPER, AND HERBS.
BAKE IN THE OVEN (GRILL SETTING) AT 200 DEGREES FOR 15 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE TOP IS CRISPY AND GOLDEN. 

NUTRITIONAL HACK:
BROCCOLI. IF YOU ARE TO EAT JUST ONE VEGETABLE, I WOULD VOTE FOR BROCCOLI! IT IS RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS, FIBRE, VITAMINS INCLUDE: C, K & A, MINERALS INCLUDE: POTASSIUM, CALCIUM & IRON. IN ORDER THAT THESE AMAZING NUTRIENTS ARE NOT BOILED OUT OF THE VEGETABLE AND THROWN AWAY, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU COOK BROCCOLI BY STEAMING IT, AS YOU HAVE JUST PRACTICED!