Gluten Free Mexican Taco Nacho Mac and Cheese Recipe

This Gluten Free Mexican Taco Nacho Mac and Cheese is a quick and easy dinner idea that comes together in less than 30 minutes. Sponsored by Horizon Organics.

My youngest son is a little foodie just like his older brothers, although I’d say he takes it to the next level. He has his own signature spice/herb blend that he sprinkles on top of just about everything he eats (we even bottled it up to make it look official). He is also the king of condiments (chimichurri and guasacaca avocado “green sauce” are two of his favorites), and he loves food with lots of flavor. Great flavor alone isn’t enough however – he likes the contrast of crunchy and creamy textures, cool and hot temperatures, and a touch of spicy heat.

So recently, when I picked his brain on how to turn a box of Horizon Organic Gluten-Free Macaroni and White Cheddar Cheese into something special, he came up with this Gluten Free Mexican Taco Nacho Macaroni and Cheese which incorporates everything he loves about tacos and nachos.

Turkey taco meat is mixed in with creamy macaroni and cheese, and it’s all topped off with cool avocado, red onion, spicy salsa, and crunchy taco seasoned panko crumbs. In my book, the best part about tacos, nachos and this Mexican inspired macaroni and cheese are all the toppings and mix-ins.There are so many possibilities.

12 Healthy Gluten-Free Mexican Dinner Toppings and Mix-Ins

• Black beans or pinto beans
• Avocado
• Fresh tomato
• Tomato salsa or salsa verde
• Corn (try pan roasting – it brings out the sweetness)
• Red onions
• Scallions
• Cilantro
• Pickled jalapenos
• Plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
• Taco seasoned gluten-free panko crumbs
• Fresh lime juice

I love getting my son involved in the kitchen, whether it’s coming up with ideas on what to make for a snack or dinner, how to spice up a dish or add some crunch to it. It makes him feel good that he’s helped conjure up something delicious that we all can enjoy. One of the benefits of getting him more active in the kitchen is that I can teach him about the importance of making better food choices, which hopefully will travel with him when he eventually goes off to college.

3 Fun Ways To Get Your Kids Active In The Kitchen

If you’d like to get your kids more active in the kitchen, here are three fun ways that have helped encourage my son to be more curious about the foods he eats and how they’re prepared:

1. Try to recreate their favorite restaurant foods at home. Two of my son’s favorite restaurant foods are creamy tomato basil soup and arepas, so we recreated delicious homemade versions at home, and my son was the expert judge.
2. Take one of your kids’ favorite foods and come up with different ways to serve it. For example, my son loves tacos and nachos, so in addition to today’s recipe for Gluten Free Mexican Taco Nacho Mac and Cheese, we’ve made Gluten-Free Mexican Turkey Taco Meatloaf Muffins and Gluten-Free Turkey Taco Pizza.
3. Experiment with foods your child wants to make. I like to think of my kitchen as a chemistry lab for fun – a place we can try new ingredients and create whatever our hearts desire. We made Nutella powder for fun which sparked my son’s idea of making ice cream powder. Although we haven’t figured out how to make ice cream powder successfully yet, it peaked his interest in the kitchen. The idea is to make your child believe that the possibilities are endless in the kitchen – experimentation is all part of the fun.

For more ideas and quick and easy dinner recipes, follow Horizon Organic on Facebook, twitter and check out their Horizon’s Mealtimes Solutions Pinterest Board.

Print

Gluten-Free Mexican Taco Nacho Mac and Cheese Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 3

Ingredients

• 1 box Horizon Organic Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese
• 1/2 cup low-fat organic milk
• 2 tablespoons Horizon organic unsalted butter

Taco Meat

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 pound ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
• 2 tablespoons water

Taco Panko Crumbs

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup gluten-free panko crumbs
• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning

Toppings

• 1 avocado cut into cubes
• 2-3 tablespoons salsa
• 1/2 red onion finely chopped

Instructions

1. Cook macaroni and cheese according to package directions using milk and butter.
2. Meanwhile, make taco meat by heating oil in skillet and browning the ground turkey; add taco seasoning and water and cook until liquid evaporates; set aside.
3. Make Taco Panko Crumbs by mixing oil, panko crumbs and taco seasoning in a small skillet over medium heat; stir until light brown; remove from heat.
4. When macaroni and cheese is done, stir in taco meat. Divide into serving bowls and top with avocado, salsa, chopped onions, taco panko crumbs and any other favorite toppings you wish.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon Organics. The opinions and text are all mine.

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