Avocado Mac and Cheese

**UPDATE**
 I've moved to ladybugsandlattes.com
You can find this post and more here
***

Are you looking for a way to sneak healthy food in with the foods your kid already loves? Well, this probably isn't it because the avocado turns the macaroni green. And I mean green. However, if you're looking for a tasty way to mix up your typical mac and cheese, keep reading...

I went through a long phase of being obsessed with avocado. If I saw an avocado recipe on Pinterest, I pinned it. I loved it mixed in foods, cooked in foods, and in plain slices. And best of all, baby Cady loves avocado, too. It's so much easier to prepare meals for a kid when they like what you like.

One day, I found this recipe for Stovetop Avocado Mac and Cheese that made my taste buds heave with desire.

So, I gave it a try...twice. Here is my version of the recipe.

Ingredients:
* 10 oz elbow macaroni (almost a whole box)
* 3 avocados, cut into chunks and divided
* 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice (to keep avocados from browning)
* garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup milk
* 2 cups shredded cheese (I liked Mexican Blend, or a 4 cheese blend)

1. Cook the macaroni al dente. Then drain.

2. Meanwhile, put 2 avocados, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cilantro, and lemon/lime juice in a blender and blend until it is smooth and creamy.

3. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Then whisk in the flour and milk. Stir it with a wooden spoon until the sauce begins to thicken. Then stir in the cheese until it melts.

4. Combine cooked macaroni, avocado sauce, and cheese sauce in a large bowl.

5. Garnish with the remaining avocado chunks and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6 people (or Cady and I for dinner and lunch the next day)

It's thick and creamy...and very filling. If you like avocado and cilantro, this is a good recipe to try.
A word of caution: The sauce hardens quickly so don't leave your dishes sitting out for very long. Lesson learned the hard way...twice.

Here is what it's supposed to look like.

Here's what mine looked like (when I first made it with different noodles).

Oh well. At least it tasted heavenly.