Mac and Cheese

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missourichick
missourichick Posts: 29
in Food and Nutrition
I love mac and cheese (Have since I was a kid haha) but its soo high in fat and calories. Any way to make it less fattening ?
I usually make it homeade but Its still soo bad for you, any suggestions??

Replies

  • xXmimiXx
    xXmimiXx Posts: 564 Member
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    Erm...brown pasta, skimmed milk and extra light philadelphia sauce with parmesan. Apprently parmesan is one of hte lease fattening cheeses and in my opinion the tastiest. you could bulk out the macaroni and cheese sauce mixture with some nice cheesey loving vegetables like cauliflower and brocolli and I think it'd be lovely! Like a low fat cheese pasta bake, yum yum!

    I've made a cheesy pasta before very low fat and it was delicious :-)

    I suggest you Google http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=9NT&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&q=low+fat+macaroni+cheese&aq=f&aqi=g1g-m1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
  • bellanean
    bellanean Posts: 220
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    I make it for myself, I make some whole wheat pasta and melt in some laughing cow cheese and some fat free milk. Idk how it would work if you were trying to make more then one serving though.
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    I remade a homemade mac and cheese recipe yesterday... I am going to have to still play around with it some but basically I subbed in low fat cheese, skim milk, and whole wheat macaroni and flour for the full fat and white counterparts. :) Going to put up a blog post in just a few minutes with the recipe...

    I have also heard that you can puree butternut squash in and that is good. Haven't tried that though.
  • Natural
    Natural Posts: 461 Member
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    oooh that's my favorite meal too. usually i just make it the way i always do and just eat it, but less of it. - maybe a half cup or third of a cup. sometimes a cup, depending on my exercise that day. i recently saw a low fat version, maybe you can do an online search, sorry i don't have a recipe.

    try with wheat pasta too.

    i just LOVE it.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I love mac and cheese (Have since I was a kid haha) but its soo high in fat and calories. Any way to make it less fattening ?
    I usually make it homeade but Its still soo bad for you, any suggestions??

    Use low-fat cheese and whole wheat flour and pasta to make it a little healthier (and a few fewer calories). Then enjoy it in moderation as a side dish.

    I refuse to give up any food. I just eat less of the "bad" stuff and more of the "good."
  • skinnytayy
    skinnytayy Posts: 459
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    I've yet to figure that out .. its not the same taste as the box no matter what lol
  • swadorgk
    swadorgk Posts: 1
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    I believe you can eat anything as long it's in smaller portion and that you exercise often.
  • Melis25Fit
    Melis25Fit Posts: 811 Member
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    I love Mac N Cheese! Thanks for the good hints!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I've yet to figure that out .. its not the same taste as the box no matter what lol

    Thank goodness for that! I won't touch the boxed junk. The homemade is so much yummier! :tongue:
  • JennS19
    JennS19 Posts: 642 Member
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    Try this recipe I found on one of my favorite sites:

    Serves 4
    Calories per serving: 517

    2 cups multigrain elbow macaroni
    1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    1 1/2 cup skim milk, warmed for 1 minute in the microwave, or heated on stove
    8 ounces low-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 1/4 cups)
    2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    Pinch of pepper
    Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
    1/4 cup Panko crumbs or whole-wheat bread crumbs
    Recipes From This Episode
    Sauteed Spinach With Grilled Turkey Sausage
    and Red Pepper & Rosemary Cornbread
    Red Velvet Cupcakes
    All "Cook Yourself Thin" Recipes
    Main "Cook Yourself Thin" Site

    1. Preheat the broiler.

    2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.

    3. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly until golden, about 2 minutes. Continue whisking and add the milk in a slow, steady stream. Bring the mixture to a steady simmer, whisking constantly, and whisk until thickened, about 2 minutes.

    4. Drain the pasta in a colander. Remove the sauce from the heat, add the cheese, and stir until the cheese melts. Immediately add the hot, drained pasta and stir until well-coated. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

    5. Divide the mac and cheese among four 6-ounce ovenproof ramekins and sprinkle 1 tablespoon bread crumbs over each. Broil until crumbs are golden and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes, taking care not to let the top burn. Serve immediately.
  • Lauralovesmfp
    Lauralovesmfp Posts: 270 Member
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    In this month's Oxygen magazine there is a make over receipe that uses low fat cottage cheese, sharp cheddar and pumpkin. I'll try to post it later.

    Laura
  • PaisleyLotus
    PaisleyLotus Posts: 60 Member
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    http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/low-fat-macaroni-and-cheese/Detail.aspx

    Check it out! :0)
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    The 2% velveeta is pretty good - curbs my craving for it.
  • Melora
    Melora Posts: 65 Member
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    In this month's Oxygen magazine there is a make over receipe that uses low fat cottage cheese, sharp cheddar and pumpkin. I'll try to post it later.

    Laura

    Sounds Delish!!! My daughter LOVES mac and cheese...from the box! LOL!!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    In this month's Oxygen magazine there is a make over receipe that uses low fat cottage cheese, sharp cheddar and pumpkin. I'll try to post it later.

    Laura

    Sounds Delish!!! My daughter LOVES mac and cheese...from the box! LOL!!

    So does mine. Well, I don't know if she LOVES it anymore, but she used to. She does like it now. So does the boyfriend. I didn't even like it when I was a kid, though.
  • Lauralovesmfp
    Lauralovesmfp Posts: 270 Member
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    so it is:
    1 C whole wheat macaroni cooked el dente around 5 minutes
    Mix in 3/4 2% sharp cheddar
    Add 1/2 C pure pumpkin blended with 2 C light cottage cheese (1%) blend in blender before you add
    top with 1/2 Cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
    Put it in a glass baking dish at 325 F for about 15 minutes

    My kids love it!
  • cem789
    cem789 Posts: 231 Member
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    i no longer have it homemade! you can buy mac and cheese ready meals ( but made my local companies) with less than 500 calories :)
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    so it is:
    1 C whole wheat macaroni cooked el dente around 5 minutes
    Mix in 3/4 2% sharp cheddar
    Add 1/2 C pure pumpkin blended with 2 C light cottage cheese (1%) blend in blender before you add
    top with 1/2 Cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
    Put it in a glass baking dish at 325 F for about 15 minutes

    My kids love it!

    I want to try this! Where do you find whole wheat macaroni? I can find whole wheat spaghetti noodles and penne pasta, but no ww macaroni. :(
  • Lauralovesmfp
    Lauralovesmfp Posts: 270 Member
    Options
    so it is:
    1 C whole wheat macaroni cooked el dente around 5 minutes
    Mix in 3/4 2% sharp cheddar
    Add 1/2 C pure pumpkin blended with 2 C light cottage cheese (1%) blend in blender before you add
    top with 1/2 Cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
    Put it in a glass baking dish at 325 F for about 15 minutes

    My kids love it!

    I want to try this! Where do you find whole wheat macaroni? I can find whole wheat spaghetti noodles and penne pasta, but no ww macaroni. :(

    Just at the Real Canadian Superstore. Any health food stores in your area? I think it is pretty common nowadays. Oh, and the calories are 425 per serving and it makes 4 servings fyi. Whole wheat penne would be fine too I'm sure.
  • JulieKas
    JulieKas Posts: 1
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    Try this recipe I found on one of my favorite sites:

    Serves 4
    Calories per serving: 517

    2 cups multigrain elbow macaroni
    1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    1 1/2 cup skim milk, warmed for 1 minute in the microwave, or heated on stove
    8 ounces low-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 1/4 cups)
    2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    Pinch of pepper
    Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
    1/4 cup Panko crumbs or whole-wheat bread crumbs
    Recipes From This Episode
    Sauteed Spinach With Grilled Turkey Sausage
    and Red Pepper & Rosemary Cornbread
    Red Velvet Cupcakes
    All "Cook Yourself Thin" Recipes
    Main "Cook Yourself Thin" Site

    1. Preheat the broiler.

    2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.

    3. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly until golden, about 2 minutes. Continue whisking and add the milk in a slow, steady stream. Bring the mixture to a steady simmer, whisking constantly, and whisk until thickened, about 2 minutes.

    4. Drain the pasta in a colander. Remove the sauce from the heat, add the cheese, and stir until the cheese melts. Immediately add the hot, drained pasta and stir until well-coated. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

    5. Divide the mac and cheese among four 6-ounce ovenproof ramekins and sprinkle 1 tablespoon bread crumbs over each. Broil until crumbs are golden and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes, taking care not to let the top burn. Serve immediately.

    I tried this and I halved the cheese and it was still delicious. I also used mustard instead of worcestershire sauce, and didn't bake it or put the crumbs on it and it was still delightful. I probably saved nearly 100 calories. Yumm!

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