Baked Mac & Cheese

From EatingWell: Winter 2004, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004)

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Mac & cheese can be a true comfort on a gloomy day, and our healthy update takes advantage of extra-sharp
Cheddar balanced with creamy low-fat cottage cheese and tucks a layer of spinach into the middle, which may help
picky eaters down their vegetables. Whole-wheat pasta adds robust flavor and extra fiber.

READER'S COMMENT:
"Wow, gotta say in 14 yrs of marriage, this is the first time my husband [mac & cheese afficionado] liked homemade
however, unlike my usual creedo, I did tweak a bit. I pretty much used this recipe as a basic & made only slight...

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Makes: 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

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PREPARATION
1.
2.
3.

4.
5.

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Preheat oven to 450F. 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 Step 4. 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 250F until crispy, about 15 minutes. One slice
of fresh bread makes about 1/3 cup dry crumbs. Or use prepared coarse dry breadcrumbs. We like Ian's brand
labeled Panko breadcrumbs. Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 576 calories; 22 g fat ( 11 g sat , 2 g mono ); 69 mg cholesterol; 63 g carbohydrates; 37
gprotein; 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

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Tuna-&-Tomato Mac & Cheese

From EatingWell: March/April 2011
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Tuna mac & cheese takes a trip to the Southwest with spicy tomato and festive blue tortilla chips on top.
Canned tomatoes with green chiles and ancho chile powder add a peppery kick, but if you like, you can
keep it mellow by using a 14-ounce can of drained petite diced tomatoes and mild chili powder.

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Makes: 4 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
NUTRITION PROFILE

High fiber | Low saturated fat | Low cholesterol| High calcium | Heart healthy |
View Our Nutrition Guidelines

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces (about 3 cups) whole-wheat rotini pasta

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup nonfat milk, divided
1/2 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated pepper Jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder (see Notes)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups reduced-fat cottage cheese, preferably low-sodium
1 5- to 6-ounce can chunk light tuna (see Notes), drained and flaked
1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles (see Notes), drained
1/4 cup crumbled tortilla chips, preferably blue corn

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PREPARATION
1.
2.
3.

Preheat oven to 450F.

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
Meanwhile, whisk flour and 2 tablespoons milk in a small bowl. Heat the remaining milk in a large
ovenproof skillet over medium heat until steaming.
4.
Gradually whisk a few tablespoons of the hot milk into the milk-flour mixture, then whisk this
mixture back into the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth and
slightly thickened, 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in Cheddar, pepper Jack, chile powder, salt
and pepper.
5.
Puree cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until very smooth, scraping down the sides
as necessary. Stir into the sauce in the skillet. Add tuna and the pasta; stir well to coat with the sauce.
Sprinkle drained tomatoes evenly over the top.
6.
Bake until hot and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Top with crumbled tortilla chips.

TIPS & NOTES

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 5 (transfer to a baking dish, if desired, before topping
with tomatoes), cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Bake at 450F until hot and bubbling, about 35
minutes.
Notes: Ancho chile powder, made from dried poblano peppers, has a mild, sweet spicy flavor.
Look for it in the spice section of well-stocked supermarkets.
Chunk light tuna, like all fish and shellfish, contains some mercury. According to the FDA and
EPA, women who are or might become pregnant, nursing mothers and young children should limit their
consumption to 12 ounces a week of fish with lower mercury, including canned light tuna. Consumption
of albacore tuna (which is labeled white) should be limited to no more than 6 ounces a week. And, if
youre looking for an environmentally sustainable canned tuna option, check the labeltuna that was
caught by troll or pole-and-line is considered the best choice, according to Monterey Bay Aquariums
Seafood Watch Program. Or look for the blue Certified Sustainable Seafood label from the Marine
Stewardship Council.
We like to use flavorful Rotel brand diced tomatoes with green chilesoriginal or mildin place
of regular diced tomatoes in Southwest-inspired dishes. Find them near other diced tomatoes and/or in
the Mexican-food section at most supermarkets.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 447 calories; 11 g fat ( 6 g sat , 3 g mono ); 38 mg cholesterol; 55 g carbohydrates; 0
g added sugars; 34 g protein; 5 g fiber; 723 mg sodium; 395 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Calcium (38% daily value), Magnesium (20% dv), Zinc (17% dv), Vitamin A (16% dv),
Iron (15% dv).
Carbohydrate Servings: 3
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 reduced-fat milk, 1/2 vegetable, 1 1/2 medium fat meat

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RECIPE CATEGORIES
STYLE/THEME

Kid-friendly
Make ahead instructions
Budget
Casserole
Comfort foods
Everyday favorites
EASE OF PREPARATION

Easy
TYPE OF DISH

Main dish, combination meal

Main dish, fish/seafood
Pasta
TOTAL TIME

45 minutes or less
SERVINGS

4
MAIN INGREDIENT

Fish
ETHNIC/REGIONAL

American
PREPARATION/ TECHNIQUE

Bake
HEALTH & DIET CONSIDERATIONS

Low cholesterol
Low saturated fat
Heart healthy
High calcium
High fiber
MEAL/COURSE

Dinner
SEASON

Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
PUBLICATION

March/April 2011