Is it really possible to make healthy mac and cheese and still have it taste just as rich and cheesy as the classic?
Easy Healthy Mac And Cheese
Try this healthy mac and cheese recipe when you’re craving mac and cheese but don’t want all the unhealthy saturated fat and calories you’d find in traditional recipes.
The healthy mac and cheese recipe below is low-fat, high-protein, and under 250 calories per serving.
If you make a batch of my favorite Vegan Brownies for dessert, you’ve got yourself a rich and decadent—yet secretly healthy—comfort food feast!
And yes, it really does taste just as cheesy and delicious as traditional mac and cheese!
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I’m very excited to feature Gina Homolka, an incredibly talented friend, on the blog today. Gina’s website, Skinnytaste, has a huge following with fans all over the world, and yet she is one of the most genuine and down-to-earth people you could ever hope to meet.
She puts passion into every one of her recipes and beautiful photos, and she really cares about her readers, no matter the size of their blogs. Years ago, Gina gave me the opportunity to be a guest on her site even though my own blog was much smaller, and I will never forget that kindness. Gina just released The Skinnytaste Cookbook, filled with 150 lower-calorie healthy recipes—from breakfast to dessert—to leave you feeling satisfied, not deprived.
The cookbook includes recipes such as PB&J Overnight Oats, Cinnamon Butternut Squash Soup, Chickpea Potato Curry, and the healthy mac and cheese recipe below:
If you want the mac and cheese to be gluten-free, just be sure to use your favorite variety of gf pasta and breadcrumbs. If gf breadcrumbs are not available, just toast slices of gluten-free bread and then pulse in a food processor until you get breadcrumbs.
Although Gina’s original recipe isn’t vegan, it’s easy to veganize by just using Daiya vegan cheese for the cheese and nutritional yeast or vegan parm.
This is a recipe that everyone can enjoy!
Healthy Mac And Cheese
Ingredients
- 12 oz fusilli or elbow pasta
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter spread
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups milk of choice
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 cups shredded cheddar, or vegan cheddar
- 12 oz fresh broccoli florets
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan or nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- cooking spray
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipe: In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta and broccoli together, according to package directions for al dente. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large. heavy skillet, melt the buttery spread, then add the onion and cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook 1 minute or until flour is golden and well-combined. Whisk in milk and broth, raise heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil, then cook an additional 5 minutes or until smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Remove from heat, add cheese, and stir until melted. Stir in the cooked pasta and broccoli, then pour into the prepared baking dish. Top with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan or nutritional yeast. Spray a little more cooking spray on top. Bake 15-20 minutes, then broil a few minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden.View Skinny Mac & Cheese Nutrition Facts
Notes
More Healthy Mac And Cheese Recipes
Vegan Cheese Sauce – The Ultimate Recipe
I’m confused about the nutrition facts. This seems to be the same recipe posted on a number of sites, each of which claim over 300 calories as the calorie count for this recipe (for example: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/skinny-baked-broccoli-mac-cheese/). Are you recommending different ingredients? Can you clarify how you got 244 calories per serving when other recipes which are apparently the same get between 314 and 322? Thanks!
Is there a special kind of buttery spread? Is that not just butter?
Ok, this has just become my favorite web page!
Okay, this has just become my favorite web page!
What is buttery spread? Is it margarine? Margarine is not healthy at all. You must be talking about some kind of spread recipe you use.
Buttery spread is something like Melt or Earth Balance, both of which are trans-fat-free (unlike regular margarine).
So I tryed it. It was really good. My family enjoyed it. It came out more like a casserole, either way delicious.
Pretty bland and tasteless
I love broccoli, but my kids don’t. I make them mac and cheese with whole wheat pasta and no added oil. My two-year-old wants it for lunch literally every day!
https://israelisalad.wordpress.com/2017/01/24/healthier-mac-and-cheese-2-methods/
Made this last night and it came out wonderful! My hubby and kids loved it! Added a bit more flour than called for but otherwise perfect-creamy and delicious! I am a Dietitian and will be passing this on to my clients.
What size is the serving to stay under the 250 calorie mark? 1 cup, 1/2 cup…. don’t want to make it and then play a guessing game. Have to cook for someone else who is on a strict calorie limit.