This is a crowd favorite, and rightfully so :) From my 2 year old niece to my very picky (of health food) father. Made with hearts of palm, the inside of a palm tree instead of starchy, high sugar macaroni, just as satisfying if done correctly :) I love the taste of hearts of palm even plain and many love in it salads with olives and cheeses. Some don't love the taste of them plain, but either way they are delicious cooked in a cheese sauce, isn't everything? Hearts of palm are a little more dense than a noodle, yet a lot lighter in calories and carbohydrates, and higher in nutrients and fiber. This was a crowd favorite
noodles:
2 large jars(28 ounce) or 4 small jars of Hearts of Palm
cheese sauce:
1/2 cup organic chicken broth
8 tbs organic cream cheese
2 cups shredded raw cheddar
1/2 organic Parmesan cheese (raw if possible)
2 sticks of organic butter (raw if possible)
1/2 cup raw cheddar cheese for topping (optional)
pepper (optional)
1 package of nitrate free turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled or chopped
1 large organic free range vegetarian fed chicken breast, boiled and shredded
1.5 cups of steamed broccoli (chop if necessary)
Set the oven to 375. Removed Hearts of Palm from jars. Slice down the middle length wise, then slice about 1/4th inch long slices to make noodles. Boil the hearts for 3-5 minutes until tender, strain and set aside in a 9x13 dish. In a medium sized sauce pot, melt 2 sticks of butter on medium heat. Add in broth and cream cheese and whisk together. Once melted, add in raw cheddar cheese and allow to melt, you may add some pepper to taste if you'd like. Pour cheese over the noodles, add crumbles of turkey bacon, shredded chicken, and broccoli and blend together with a large spoon. Top with extra cheddar cheese if desired. Bake for 8 minutes.
