Eat mo' Mac!

Okay, I have to post this recipe, even though I don't have any pictures. I've served this quite a few times and people LOVE it. My husband loves it. My kids love it. 

I LOVE IT! 

I've also promised some people the recipe, and I can't remember if I gave it to them...

If that was you...I'm sorry.  

One thing you have to understand. If you use real cheddar cheese for macaroni and cheese, it will always be a little higher in calories. But this version is a more nutritious take on the old classic favorite. 

The thing that really makes this healthier is that it uses whole grain pasta and replaces the butter with cottage cheese. Yes, you heard right--cottage cheese and no butter. 

I found the original recipe at Eating Well. You should check it out, because that one is a bit different and you may like that better. The original recipe also gives different tips than I do. I'll explain the changes I made to fit it to our family. 

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 
  
• 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
• A dash of Garlic powder (seriously, I never measure it. Just sprinkle some in)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat elbow macaroni, or penne

Directions

1. Preheat oven: 450°F

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Preheat oven to. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Mix breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a small bowl. 
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Bake the casserole until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Comparison with the Original recipe

1. Leaving out the spinach: My family does not really care much for cooked broccoli or spinach. So, instead of putting spinach in the middle of the casserole, I serve it with raw broccoli or a nice fresh spinach salad. This also increases the nutritional value of the meal. 

2. Panko breadcrumbs: I have tried the recipe with regular bread crumbs, crumbled crackers, and panko breadcrumbs. I like the Panko best. 

3. Nutmeg: The original recipe called for nutmeg. I will be honest, I have never made the recipe with nutmeg. Someday I might try it instead of the garlic, but my family really likes it with the garlic. So, for now we will leave it.