cheesy ham and broccoli bake

Our family does not eat much pasta, my kids don't like macaroni and cheese, but they loved this dish! It is pretty easy to put together and you can make it gluten and lactose free! I experimented with a few different recipes until I put together the ingredients in a way that was healthy for me to eat and yet yummy so that my family would eat it.

Ingredients:

4 cups brown rice pasta (measured dry)

1.5 cups diced ham (I use nitrate free ham found at Whole Foods)

1.5 cups chopped frozen broccoli

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 Tbls butter

3 Tbls gluten free flour

10 ounces lactose free milk (or regular if lactose isn't an issue)

1 cube vegetable bouillon

.25 tsp salt

3 Tbls plain yogurt (or sour cream if it doesn't bother you)

1. Cook pasta according to directions

2. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour until it has absorbed the butter. Slowly add the milk and stir until the sauce is thick and smooth. Add the bouillon and stir until dissolved. Season with salt. Stir in the plain yogurt. Stir in HALF the cheese.

3. Chop the ham into bite sized pieces. Chop the broccoli into bite sized pieces. Stir both into the sauce.

4. After the pasta has finished cooking, rinse and drain. Add the pasta to the mixture. Stir well.

5. Transfer entire mixture to a 9x13 casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Enjoy!