I cook A LOT. It's relaxing for me, not to mention that at the end of the semester it is generally a productive means of procrastination as well. Lately I've spent a lot of time trying to recreate healthy versions of dishes I love and homemade versions of things I can't eat because of allergies. My problem is that I write recipes down on napkins and grocery receipts and other pieces of paper that end up getting lost. So, I'm going to start posting recipes here--mostly so I can find them again.
Healthy Mac and Cheese that Doesn't Taste Like Plastic:
The Basics:
1 Tbs Country Crock Light
1 Tbs flour
6 oz shredded Colby-Jack Cheese*
1 1/2 cups skim milk
2 Tbs Parmesan topping
7 oz whole wheat elbow macaroni
The Flavor:
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp dried mustard or 1 Tbs Dijon mustard**
1/2 tsp paprika
dash cayenne pepper or hot sauce (optional)
pepper to taste
Melt margarine in large sauce pan. Whisk in flour and cook one minute. Add milk and bring to boil stirring constantly. Let cook one minute, still stirring. Add cheeses and spices and stir until all of the cheese is melted. Add to cooked macaroni. (I added steamed broccoli and a little grilled chicken as well).
For those of you interested in points, a comparison:
This recipe: 8 points/serving (makes 4 servings)
Boxed mac and cheese (prepared as directed): 10 points
Small Mac and Cheese from Noodles: 10 points
It's not as low as some of the Weight Watchers recipes, but it actually tastes like Mac and Cheese. I have not been impressed by the taste that comes from losing two more points.
*This is really important: DON'T use reduced fat cheese. It takes twice as much to get something that tastes like cheese, which doesn't really save on points. In addition, it doesn't melt the same and generally makes the sauce separate.
**I know that this is really tempting to leave out because it sounds gross, but it's the key to the flavor. Don't ask me how it works, but after skipping it several times, I gave it a try and I'm sold.
1 comment:
this looks like a great recipe
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