Cutting Calories In Mac & Cheese (Nutritional Yeast?)

ehju0901

So I've had a craving for mac and cheese that is just not going away. I've found this product which wasn't bad, but I'd like to find something a bit more cost effective.



I'm not vegan, but I was thinking about trying to make something with chickpea noodles and nutritional yeast to cut back on the calories.

Anyone have any suggestions or recipes to share? I'm open to any suggestions for a lower calorie option. EDIT: I am also open to brands and products to try.

heybales

Birds Eye - Veggie Pasta - Penne with Cheddar Cheese Sauce - slightly off taste for me (if you knew what I ate that may or may not matter)
- Rotini Alfredo - if not needing cheddar cheese, like this one, little spice/tang to it

There are some others similar that may taste close enough to hit that urge when needed, but more protein less fat.

acpgee

Use the recipe for a classic spaghetti cacio pepe. For two people the sauce ingredients are 80g finely grated pecorino, black pepper, starchy pasta water. No added fat.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2016/nov/03/how-to-make-the-perfect-cacio-e-pepe

goal06082021

There used to be a vegan taco truck in my area that served a cashew-based "cheese" sauce. No idea how they did it but that might be worth looking into.

chris89topher

I'm just stopping by to say that I love nutritional yeast and eat it on so many things. Especially salads and stir fry. I am vegetarian and attempt to lean vegan when possible, and nooch is a great tool for that. Definitely adds that cheesy flavor. I have used it to make "mac & cheese" using tofu shirataki noodles and nutritional yeast multiple times which is ridiculously low calorie, and I liked it.

I also add hot sauce which is good too, but that might not be your jam. Hey, I never said I wasn't odd, lol.

BarbaraHelen2013

I’ve used this recipe to make a Macaroni Cheese type dish.

https://thecookreport.co.uk/butternut-squash-pasta-sauce/

I’ve also gone the route of cashew based sauce but that’s more about cutting animal products than it is about calories.

penguinmama87

chris89topher wrote: »

I'm just stopping by to say that I love nutritional yeast and eat it on so many things. Especially salads and stir fry. I am vegetarian and attempt to lean vegan when possible, and nooch is a great tool for that. Definitely adds that cheesy flavor. I have used it to make "mac & cheese" using tofu shirataki noodles and nutritional yeast multiple times which is ridiculously low calorie, and I liked it.

I also add hot sauce which is good too, but that might not be your jam. Hey, I never said I wasn't odd, lol.

I put hot sauce on mac and cheese too!

I add nutritional yeast to my mac and cheese mostly to add some protein. I also frequently use butternut or acorn squash or even canned pumpkin puree to make my sauce. This is actually the base recipe I use, which I've adapted to suit my purposes, so don't be alarmed by all the butter: https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a79365/butternut-mac-and-cheese/

I often add roasted cauliflower or broccoli, or peas.

Is it "low" calorie? No. But I weigh my ingredients and can eat a me-sized serving for 500ish calories, which fits into my budget very well.

I've been tempted to try mac and cheese with one of those higher protein pastas, but my family is skeptical about it.

LenGray

There's a couple of good vegan cheese sauces out there, but this one is my favorite: https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-cheese-sauce/

This one is the nut-free option, because I can't usually afford cashews lol And it mentions it in the recipe notes, but you can also cut down on the calories by omitting the oil (I did and just used full-fat coconut milk. It was still amazing). I usually make a batch or two ahead of time, store it in the fridge and then just add it to my noodles when they're done with a little bit of leftover pasta water.

Another option I us for when I'm strapped for time is this: https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/homemade-vegan-mac-cheese-powder/

It's easy to use, but I'd recommend cutting the sweetener to half. This is nice if I'm busy, broke, and just want something quick, but I have to say that it doesn't taste as close to the 'real thing' as the first recipe. That said, it still makes a pretty great cheesy pasta, especially with hot sauce and chopped up sausage, carrots and/or broccoli.

rosebarnalice

Just held a mini cooking retreat for two VERY picky 17 year olds who are trying to "do the right thing" and eat lower on food pyramid, but LOVE their mac and cheese. We made and taste-tested eight different varieties of home-made and commercial options.

Daiya Deluxe Cheezy Mac was the overall (pricey!) favorite , but a very close second was a homemade version:

Silken Nooch-n-Carrot Mac
8 oz (1/2 pkg) Silken Tofu
6 tbsp (25 g) Nutritional Yeast
200 g carrots- cooked 'til soft
8 oz (dry) elbow macaroni boiled & drained
a few tbsp of water as needed
Season with heavy dashes of Tajin Chile & Lime seasoning

Use a food processor or blender to puree together the tofu, nutritional yeast and carrots until completely smoothe & creamy. Add a bit of water to adjust the consistency to your liking (one preferred it THICK, one wanted it THIN.) Microwave for about 1.5 minutes, then mix in the cooked noodles and season with Tajin.

We also tried cooked cauliflower (too sulfery), yellow squash & eggplant (okay taste but looked really pale) sweet potato (strong 2nd to the carrot ), but the color and the texture of the pureed carrot won them over.

Personal notes:

[*] we tried it with chickpea pasta, which the teens hated, but I actually preferred to the macaroni
[*] If making for myself, I would have reduced the pasta (macaroni or chickpea) in half and replaced with julienned & steamed yellow squash or eggplant to reduce the carbs and up the veggies even more

witchbride

I make mine with fiber gourmet pasta (tons of fiber, half the cals of regular noodles, but the same exact taste and texture). I then use cheese powder (Big Daddy mac mix) mixed with blended FF cottage cheese and greek yogurt, and I end up with a much healthier and lower calorie mac and cheese that honestly tastes super similar.

JessD9031

There are some things that are just not supposed to be messed with, and Granny's real butter, real sour cream, and real cheese Mac-n-Cheese is one of them. Just eat in moderation and don't eat it every day. You be aight.

AnnPT77

If you don't need to eliminate dairy, I've made a more nutrient dense, calorie efficient mac & cheese with red lentil pasta (Barilla brand has slightly more protein than chickpea pasta, and a better texture for my taste - though I don't find the chickpea pasta at all objectionable).

To that, I'd add some plain nonfat Greek yogurt, and a bit of calorie efficient but flavorful cheese (actual parmesan - not the shaker can, but real cheese - is a good choice, or mild chevre). If you bake that combo, likely the yogurt will separate. If you mix the bits together on the stovetop after the pasta is (almost) cooked (but for sure drained), and heat gently, you can control the separation. Some mashed winter squash will give it an orange color, add nutrients, and also help prevent obvious yogurt separation if you're baking it. Cauliflower (anything from puree to big chunks) bulks it up, and adds some other nutrients. I haven't done it, but I don't think adding some nutritional yeast in there would hurt anything.

I can't give you precise quantities, because I don't use recipes for things like this, I just wing it.

If you like slight variations on flavor profile, a truly tiny bit of ground or (better) fresh-grated nutmeg is nice; another alternative - distinctly non-classic - is finely chopped fresh sage leaves (especially good with the squash). I pretty much always use some onions (caramelized if I'm feeling patient) and minced garlic (yes, even with the nutmeg). I'm not too sure about the nutmeg with the nooch, might be OK, but I haven't used those together in anything, so ??? since both have a fairly specific flavor.

PepeLPew

Chickapea ain't bad. It's caloric-dense (300 or so/cup) but it's loaded with protein, fibre, etc. A bit of hot sauce, side of salad, no complaints.