Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese with Ground Beef

Ingredients:

• 1 pound gluten free elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound (more or less) of ground beef
• Crumbled goat cheese
• 1/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all-purpose flour
• Mashed cooked peeled sweet potato, (1 large sweet potato)
• 3 ½ cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon coconut aminos or tamari sauce
• 1 teaspoon lime juice (optional)
• 2 to 3 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

Instructions:

1. To cook sweet potato: Peel and cut sweet potato into 2 inch chunks.  Add enough olive oil to coat. Cook at 375F for 40 minutes or until soft. Mash and set aside.
2. In a medium pan, brown ground beef. Add some garlic powder, minced onion, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Set aside.
3. While the ground beef are cooking, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
4. In a large saucepan, make a ‘paste’ by whisking the olive oil and flour over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. It will become clumpy.
5. Add mashed sweet potato, milk, salt, pepper, garlic, mustard, coconut aminos or tamari, and lime juice to the saucepan and bring to a slight boil, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until the sauce thickens, 3-5 minutes.
6. Whisk until smooth. Some sweet potato chunks may remain. This is fine.
7. Add rosemary and combine.
8. Add pasta to a parchment paper lined 9×13 pan, add ground meat and goat cheese. Then add sweet potato mix and combine thoroughly.
9. Bake at a 350F oven for 20 minutes, then adjust shelf and broil for 3-4 minutes, keeping a close eye on the mac and cheese. You want it bubbly and crispy.

Enjoy with the kale salad found here. Feeds about 6 people.