Toddler Concoctions - Healthy Mac 'n' Cheese

Here is one of my newer go-to lunches for Little Dude that takes about 10 minutes to prepare and is healthy to boot.

Ingredients:

• 1 6oz. box of whole grain, white cheddar mac'n'cheese. I love Annie's organic shells and white cheddar!
• 1/2 cup of milk (I use 2%)
• 2 TBSP of unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup of chopped fresh spinach (I use a whole cup but that is because Little Dude adores spinach) (Sam's Club and Cosco both sell large tubs of organic spinach leaves for $3) 
• 1/2 cup of chopped turkey pastrami (I buy mine at Sam's Club) (ham works too)

Start by boiling the noodles on the stove. While the noodles boil, chop up the spinach and pastrami.

Once the noodles are al dente, drain them in a colander over the sink. In the empty pot, mix the cheese packet, milk, and butter on low heat. The box instructions only call for 3 Tbsp. of milk, I add 1/2 a cup because of the extra ingredients. Once combined, add the extra mozzarella cheese to the pot and stir for 30 seconds.

Mmmm cheese. . .

Add the noodles back into the pot, then the spinach and pastrami. Mix everything together and put the lid on the pot. Allow everything to cook on low for two minutes, stir again, and serve.

Here is mine with extra spinach in it. Start off with less, maybe even 1/4 cup, for pickier eaters.

Enjoy!