Clean Mac N Cheese

Finding a clean alternative to macaroni and cheese was an absolute MUST for me...I don't know about you guys...but I LOVE mac n cheese! You don't have to give up taste though...I found this awesome recipe that is only 250 calories per serving...perfect for a cold rainy day like today!!

Clean Mac ’n’ Cheese

By shedding the full-fat cheeses and white pasta typical of traditional mac ’n’ cheese recipes, it saves you more than 20 grams of fat and 1,000 mg of sodium!

Serves: 6
Makes: about 6 1/2 cups.
Hands-on time:
Total time:
You Save: 258 calories, 22 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 1,027 mg sodium, 71 mg cholesterol

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/4 cups whole-wheat elbow macaroni
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1/4 cup stone-ground whole-grain brown rice flour
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup skim milk
• 3 oz light Swiss cheese, finely shredded
• 5 oz low-fat cheddar cheese, finely shredded
• 1 tbsp whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp reduced-fat Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly mist an 8-inch diameter (1 1/2 qt) casserole dish with cooking spray.
3. Spoon flour and salt into medium bowl and slowly whisk in enough milk to form a paste. Then add remaining milk, whisking as you do, making sure that no lumps remain. 
4. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add flour-milk mixture. When milk is warm, add Swiss cheese and stir quickly and frequently with a wooden spoon until cheese is completely melted and incorporated. Add cheddar cheese and continue stirring until cheese is completely melted and mixture begins to thicken slightly. (Since stovetops vary in temperature and sauce is delicate, mixture may separate. If sauce separates or if cheese doesn’t fully combine, add the warmed mixture to a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with a chopping blade. Process until smooth and combined, covering blender or food processor lid with a towel in case hot liquid splashes. Add cheese sauce back to saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until warmed through.) Stir in cooked macaroni, then transfer mixture to casserole dish.
5. In small bowl, stir together breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over top of macaroni. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned. Allow to stand 5 minutes. Serve.

Nutrients per 1-cup serving:  Calories: 250, Total Fat: 4 g, Sat. Fat: 2 g, Carbs: 38 g, Fiber: 4, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 18, Sodium: 310 mg, Cholesterol: 10 mg