Macaroni and Cheese
Suzanne Farrell, registered dietician and owner of Cherry Creek Nutrition, likes this recipe for satisfying a comfort-food craving from because it uses cottage cheese and nonfat milk as its base. Serves 4.
Ingredients
8 ounces whole-wheat elbow macaroni
1½ cups low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup nonfat milk, divided
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, (4 ounces)
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a shallow 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
Cook macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water; set aside. Puree cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until smooth; set aside.
Heat ¾ cup milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat until steaming. Whisk together flour and the remaining ¼ cup milk in a small bowl until smooth. Stir into the hot milk and cook, whisking, until the sauce is smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the pureed cottage cheese, Cheddar cheese, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir in the cooked macaroni. Spoon into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Bake until bubbling and brown, about 35 minutes.
Per serving: 422 calories; 12 g fat ( 6 g sat , 1 g mono ); 37 mg cholesterol; 53 g carbohydrates; 30 g protein; 7 g fiber; 696 mg sodium; 309 mg potassium.
