Ok, just so there aren't any misunderstandings, this recipe that I am about to share is NOT low in fat NOR is it low in calories. In fact, it is probably high in both. It is however, healthier than your typical homemade mac & cheese.
I, like every other mother on the planet, am constantly looking for meals that are easy to make and that my family enjoys. That is no easy feat, at least with my family. And of course I want to serve them meals that are as healthy as possible. I have done my fair share of reading on the topic of health and nutrition and I know about all the myths of the things that we grew up with thinking they were healthy but really are not - like white bread, white rice and pasta.
So, I realize mac & cheese is one dish that inherently is not healthy at all. Sure, there is some calcium in the cheese, but is it really enough to make up for all that fat and refined white flour in the pasta? I think not. What other redeeming healthy qualities does traditional mac & cheese have? I would argue - NONE!
But you still need your kids to eat, right? Or at least, I do, anyway!
So what do you feed them? Here in Beijing the choices of healthy convenient food is limited at best. There are as many healthy convenience foods here as there are chicken feet on a stick in California.
Anyway, I got sick of paying $5 for one box of Kraft mac & cheese that was completely void of any nutrition and thought surely I can make something better than whatever is in that box and make it healthier too - the focus being on the 'ier' at the end of the word.
So, I have made my own version of mac & cheese TWICE. And both times my eldest child, the pickiest kid on the planet (and likely the entire galaxy), as well as his younger brother, scarfed it down!
And then asked for more!
I got my base recipe from The New Best Recipe Cookbook by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine. I highly recommend this cookbook, by the way. Next I did a little torquing here and there, and here is the genius recipe I came up with (ha!):
HEALTHIER (yet still delicious) MAC & CHEESE:
'Bread' Crumb Topping
6 ounces (1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp) of Oat Bran (Wheat Germ would likely work as well) - if your kids complain about the texture, consider using half bread crumbs and half bran)
3 Tbsp of Canola Spread (or other healthier spread), cold
Pasta & Cheese
1 pound macaroni (I used shells - you could also try whole wheat pasta if your kids don't mind the texture)
salt
5 Tbsp canola oil spread (or other healthier spread)
6 Tbsp of whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
5 cups of non-fat milk
8 ounces of shredded Monterey Jack cheese (today I had to use Edam cheese because my store did not have Monterey Jack)
8 0unces of shredded cheddar cheese
1 can of rinsed & drained canellini beans + 1 - 3 tsp of water blended together in a food processor until smooth (optional, but adds some good protein & fiber)
1. For the topping: pulse the oat bran and canola oil spread in a food processor until the bits are no larger than 1/8th inch, ten to 15 1-second pulses. Set aside in the refrigerator because most spreads are more delicate than butter.
2. For the pasta & cheese: adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to a rolling boil in a Dutch oven over hight heat. Add the macroni and 1 tsp salt and stir to separate the noodles. Cook until the pasta is tender. Don't undercook. Drain in a colander and set aside.
3. In the empty Dutch oven, heat the canola oil spread over medium heat until foaming. Add the flour and mustard and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, gradually add the milk; bring mixture to a boil, continue whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to thicken), then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, whisk in the cheeses until they are completely melted. Add in the pasta and cook over med-low heat, stirring constantly until its heated through.
5. Stir in 10 to 12 Tbsp of pureed cannelini beans (trust me on this one!)
4. Pour mixture into a broiler safe 13 by 9-inch baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the topping. Broil until topping is deep golden brown - 3 to 5 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then serve.
Directions are paraphrased from The New Best Recipe Cookbook with my own additions and alterations based on making this recipe healthIER. My major changes were substituting bran for bread crumbs, whole wheat flour instead of white, canola oil spread in lieu of butter and the addition of cannellini beans. That idea came from another favorite cookbook - The Sneaky Chef.
I dare you to try it! If your kids like mac & cheese, they will love this. It's just the right creamy texture - not oily, not clumpy - perfection!
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