Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures - Kraft Bake

Some things just weren't meant to be. No matter how hard you try and despite your best intentions, some days you end up with Kraft Macaroni n' Cheese for dinner. I know, I know, not such a big deal really, not unless you had something much better planned out and it all fell apart right before your tired little eyes.

Around this place, with FOUR lovely, wonderful, happy, very energetic children running amuck, it's a wonder we don't end up with apples and popcorn for dinner at least once a week. Hey, that's not a bad idea.......
Anyway, back to the point..... I do have one honest.
My point is, that it is Top Priority for me to make meals and snacks as healthy as humanly possible and that means for the most part, cooking and baking from scratch. Yup, from scratch people.

Well, today the planets were not aligned. The baby was cranky, the kids were home from school and everywhere, and most upsetting of all, my blender died at the very last minute... a very slow, painful death actually. Soooo, the home made stroganoff I planned to make healthy style which involved the use of my blender was off the table... no pun intended. I spent all morning meal planning and grocery shopping only to end up trying to figure something else out for dinner last minute. I H.A.T.E. last minute, it's the control freak in me.... errrr, the very responsible and organized part of me.

Kraft Mac N' Cheese to the rescue!   *sighhh

In the spirit of trying to keep things as healthy as possible, I immediately started brainstorming, which isn't easy in my condition  errr, my house. It's more like a tropical storm or hurricane.

So how do you make Mac N' Cheese healthy?

1. Add veggies, obviously.  I had spinach in my fridge just begging to be used up. Give it a quick chop, throw it in a pan and steam it for 1 minute in a TBSP of water. 
2. Flavour it with good things. I try to keep healthy additions in my pantry for emergencies just like these.....  I used sun dried tomatoes, chopped and thrown in with the spinach and mushrooms.  So yummy with cheese it almost felt right. 
3. Give it some substanace to make it a hearty meal, I used baby bella mushrooms, chopped and sauteed with the spinach.
4. Add a little healthy protein. I threw in a small can of Chunk Light Tuna. Don't knock it till you've tried it, it was yummy I tell you!!
5. Top off with a bit of Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper medly ( is there any other kind?) to make it as grown up and fabulous as possible.

Cook Mac according to package directions, add  veggies, throw in oven preheated to 400F for 15 minutes. Voila! Kraft Bake ReMake.

My pickiest of picky eaters actually said, and I quote, " This is the superest, bestest macaroni and cheese I've ever had in my whole life!"  and that my friends, is motivation enough to add spinach to Kraft Mac n' Cheese every time.  I'm sure my pre meal enthusiasm had something to do with it. Marketing and P.R. skills are a requirement for being a mother.