Chili Mac

This made for a easy, quick weeknight meal that was still tasty and pretty nutritious. We followed the recipe from Martha Stewart except using whole wheat penne, because that's what we had, and adding some crushed red pepper for a little heat.

Chili Mac

Serves 4-6

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Salt and pepper

1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (depends on your desire for heat)

3/4 pound whole wheat tubular pasta

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 pound ground beef 

1 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin

1 cup corn kernels

1 small zucchini, diced

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

2 ounces cheddar, grated (3/4 cup)

Directions:

Cook and drain the pasta. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion in the oil until translucent (3 minutes) and add the garlic for another minute. Increase the heat (medium-high) and add the ground beef. Break up and cook until no pink remains. Add cumin and crushed red pepper and cook for a minute until fragrant. Add zucchini and corn and cook for another couple minutes until the zucchini is somewhat tender. Then, add the tomatoes with their juices. simmer the mixture for three to five minutes until it is hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the meat sauce over the pasta and top with cheese.