Healthy mac n cheese recipe that tastes good?!?!

Bibi2012
Bibi2012 Posts: 4 Member
edited October 3 in Food and Nutrition
Hello everyone! I am looking for a healthy mac n cheese recipe that actually tastes good..if there is such a thing!! This is my daughter's favorite dish, so I need some help in making it better for her...any suggestions?

Replies

  • kykykenna
    kykykenna Posts: 656 Member
    Hello everyone! I am looking for a healthy mac n cheese recipe that actually tastes good..if there is such a thing!! This is my daughter's favorite dish, so I need some help in making it better for her...any suggestions?

    oops.........wanna save this answer! :) bump!
  • sarab99
    sarab99 Posts: 134 Member
    I would love to see this myself. I love mac and cheese and despite the 2% milk, its not exactly lowfat. I usually just go for a smaller portion of the "good stuff", once in a while.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    try skinnytaste.com maybe?
  • JuniperT
    JuniperT Posts: 394 Member
    I usually just boil up some whole wheat macaroni, slice up some light marble cheese and bake in the oven until it's all melted...I can't remember what my calorie count came up as but I'm pretty sure it wasn't bad or else I wouldn't have made it again :laugh: And my kids love it cause it's stringy and cheesy.
  • abbigail_r
    abbigail_r Posts: 283 Member
    I have a recipe you cant even taste the good stuff!!
    3 cups cubed butternut squash
    1.25 cups chicken broth
    1.5 cups milk
    2 garlic cloves
    mix those in a pan and cook till squash is softened
    then blend with
    salt pepper 2 tbs greek plain yogurt
    make sure you take the little piece off the blender to let steam but cover with a towel
    then add .25 cup parmesean
    1 cup romano
    1.25 cup gruyere
    (I just did cheddar cuz thats what I had)
    1 lb noodles.
    bake for 25 min
    you can add bread crumbs and parmesean if wanted to on top.
    This is delish my kids gobbled it and I never told them the secret of squash
  • abbigail_r
    abbigail_r Posts: 283 Member
    and you can change some of those ingredients to low/non fats, whole wheat pasta, etc.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    Hello everyone! I am looking for a healthy mac n cheese recipe that actually tastes good..if there is such a thing!! This is my daughter's favorite dish, so I need some help in making it better for her...any suggestions?
    Check the recipe archives as I know I've put several in there over the years.

    Click Search and type in a phrase or browse the recipe section. :flowerforyou:
  • Fit_Britt
    Fit_Britt Posts: 35 Member
    i make this one all the time and i use whole wheat macaroni or barilla plus macaroni. its so easy!

    from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/low-fat-macaroni-and-cheese/detail.aspx

    Ingredients

    1 cup fat-free milk
    1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
    2/3 cup fat-free cottage cheese
    pepper to taste
    2 1/2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
    1 tablespoon onion powder
    Paprika

    Directions

    In a blender or food processor, combine the milk, cheeses and pepper. Cover and process until creamy. Pour into a bowl; stir in macaroni and onion. Transfer to a 1-1/2-qt. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until heated through.

    Footnotes

    Nutritional Analysis: One 3/4-cup serving equals 233 calories, 3 g fat (0 saturated fat), 12 mg cholesterol, 372 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 20 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 very lean meat.
  • cuatesmom
    cuatesmom Posts: 173 Member
    my husband does a version which looks like some of the basic ones above BUT he adds peas, broccoli and a 2 slices of bacon cooked, chopped and mixed in. i know that is not healthy but it IS so yummy and two slices chopped up and mixed in to the whole thing don't add many calories per serving. you can sub canadian bacon or skip it all together.
  • Bibi2012
    Bibi2012 Posts: 4 Member
    Thanks!!
  • Bibi2012
    Bibi2012 Posts: 4 Member
    Thanks! I plan on trying a couple of these will let you know how it turns out!
  • http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/05/lighter-baked-macaroni-and-cheese.html

    made this the other day and it was to die for! served it with some sugar snap peas sauteed in garlic. my boyfriend loved it!
  • tamcrit
    tamcrit Posts: 340 Member
    Bumping for Thanksgiving...my traditional version is WAY BAD, but if I mess with it too much, my family will complain. They tell me that I can not "healthify" Thanksgiving, but that is only if they can't tell...lol!!
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    Ingredients
    Cooking spray
    1 pound elbow macaroni
    2 (10-ounce) packages frozen pureed winter squash
    2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
    4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
    2 ounces Monterrey jack cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)
    1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon powdered mustard
    1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
    2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
    1 teaspoon olive oil
    Directions
    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.


    Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until it is defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Cheddar, jack cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.


    Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.

    I made this and everyone loved it. Elie Krieger from food network.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    This may have already been shared ...but I did see on Dr. Oz this afternoon that Paula Dean was making homemade Mac & Cheese and he was having her try and cut it by half the cals and half the fat. Looked a bit yummmmy! I imagine it's on his web site? :flowerforyou:
  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
    my husband does a version which looks like some of the basic ones above BUT he adds peas, broccoli and a 2 slices of bacon cooked, chopped and mixed in. i know that is not healthy but it IS so yummy and two slices chopped up and mixed in to the whole thing don't add many calories per serving. you can sub canadian bacon or skip it all together.

    or use short cut bacon, has no fat on it
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