Best Healthy Mac And Cheese Recipes

LOW FAT MAC AND FOUR CHEESE (WITH SQUASH) - HEALTHY!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Cheddar, Jack cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.
• Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.

SNEAKY (HEALTHY) MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• •Put cauliflower florets in microwave safe dish and cook covered for 10 minutes, or until tender.
• •In a large pot, bring pasta water to a boil.
• •Add pasta, and cook until al dente, I recommend 2 minutes less than the package says.
• •Drain and add back to the pot, off the heat.
• •In another, small pot, boil milk and pasta water (scoop it out of the boiling pasta pot) with the butternut squash.
• •Add the butternut squash and milk mix into a blender with the cheeses.
• •Add the cauliflower.
• •Blend until smooth.
• •Taste, you will probably need to add a decent amount of salt.
• •Add the sauce to the pasta and place in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.
• •Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed (yes again - this is your last chance to get it perfect!).
• Melt butter and mix with bread crumbs.
• Sprinkle bread crumbs over mac n cheese.
• Cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden.
• Can be made ahead and refridgerated. Just cook 30 minutes.
• •Eat up! (And don't tell!).

HEALTHY CREAMY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover, and steam until tender, about 25 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
• Blend cauliflower, yogurt, chicken broth, and olive oil in a blender until smooth; pour cauliflower mixture into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir Cheddar cheese, nutritional yeast, mustard powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg into cauliflower mixture; cook and stir until cheese sauce is smooth, about 5 minutes. Pour cheese sauce over macaroni; toss to coat.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Mix Parmesan cheese and panko crumbs together in a bowl; sprinkle over macaroni. Bake until Parmesan cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.

HEARTY HEALTHY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Prepare macaroni until "al dente." I boiled mine for about 5 minutes and it was good to go. Drain and set aside.
• Process milk, onion, garlic, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, mustard, paprika, and garlic salt in blender until smooth. Stir macaroni and cheese mixture until well combined.
• Pour macaroni mixture into greased baking pan and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until top is golden brown and insides are bubbly. Serves 6.

HEALTHY MAC AND "CHEESE"

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
• Place sweet potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Mash with a potato masher.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, squash, mushrooms, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and pepper; cook and stir until soft, about 10 minutes.
• Combine sweet potatoes, onion mixture, and chicken broth in a food processor. Puree until smooth.
• Melt butter in the same skillet used to cook the onion mixture. Add flour; cook and stir until a paste forms, about 1 minute. Pour in milk slowly, stirring until smooth. Add 1/3 cup Cheddar cheese; cook over low heat until melted into the sauce, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Stir pureed sweet potato-onion mixture into the sauce. Pour sauce over macaroni; mix well. Pour into a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup Cheddar cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top.
• Broil in the preheated oven until cheese browns and becomes crisp, 2 to 5 minutes.

HEALTHY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni in a large pot according to package directions. Drain, and set aside.
• While the pasta is cooking, combine the cheese and yogurt in a small bowl.
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, and stiff in the mustard.
• Add cooked macaroni to the butter mixture, and toss to coat.
• Stir in the cheese mixture and salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir until cheese is fully melted.