Healthy Mac'N'Cheese

As I was going through my day I had a thought: home-made Mac and Cheese for dinner! On a cold rainy day this was the thought that stuck. So I did a little internet searching and found a "healthy mac and cheese" recipe, because it is always better to try the healthy alternatives :) We aren't 6 years old anymore ;) hehe
By the way... we LOVED this recipe!!! It turned out amazing and the flavor was delicious! The different textures complimented each other so well too! Oh! This is a repeat recipe FOR SURE!

4 servings

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes
Nutrition Profile

Low cholesterol | High calcium | High fiber |
View Our Nutrition Guidelines »
Ingredients

3 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs, (see Tip)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 16-ounce or 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed
1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat elbow macaroni, or penne





Preparation

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a small bowl.


Place spinach in a fine-mesh strainer and press out excess moisture.
Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming.


Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until melted.

Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.


Cook pasta for 4 minutes, or until not quite tender. (It will continue to cook during baking.) Drain and add to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the spinach on top.

Top with the remaining pasta; sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.


Bake the casserole until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.


Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through layering the dish all the way through. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, if necessary, then bake for 35 to 45 minutes.

Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh crumbs. For dry breadcrumbs, spread the fresh crumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until crispy, about 15 minutes. One slice of fresh bread makes about 1/3 cup dry crumbs.

Or use prepared coarse dry breadcrumbs. We liked “Panko breadcrumbs.”

Nutrition - found on web where I found the recipe!

Per serving: 576 calories; 22 g fat ( 11 g sat , 2 g mono ); 69 mg cholesterol; 63 g carbohydrates; 37 g protein; 9 g fiber; 917 mg sodium; 403 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (290% daily value), Calcium (70% dv), Folate (37% dv), Iron (15% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 3 1/2

Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 1/2 medium-fat meat

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/baked_mac_cheese.html