High Protein/Low Calorie Mac and Cheese

Mock Mac & Cheese

One thing I refuse to do is say I'm on a diet. I'm not; I'm on a wellness journey that is going to last the rest of my life. With that said, I don't want to miss out on my favorite comfort foods. Mac and cheese is one of these foods. I like it thick, gooey, and loaded with cheese.

Before you judge the ingredients, believe me, they work. One of the main ingredients is cottage cheese. Yes, blended cottage cheese. I also put veggies in my base to add more fiber and nutrients.

Let's get cooking. You'll need:

2 ozs. (dry) Brami Protein Pasta

2 oz of Velveeta Original Cheese Product

1/2 cup cottage cheese (if this gives you the "icks" as Jeanne put it, blend it

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp flour

1 small zucchini, chopped small

1 carrot, chopped small

1 celery stalk, chopped small

1 cup Fairlife Protein Milk (I used low-fat)

Seasonings (garlic powder, salt/pepper, nutmeg, and smoked paprika. Measure with your heart, not the teaspoon.

1 tbsp Panko bread crumbs

In a small pot, boil and cook the pasta according to the box. Drain and set aside to cool.

In a shallow pan, make the roux with butter, oil, and flour. Make a "blonde" roux, which means it is not browned. That gives too rich a flavor for mac and cheese. Add the milk to your blonde roux; it mixes easier if the milk is heated. Add the blended cottage cheese and Velveeta cheese. You've just made a high-protein, delicious cheese sauce!

Once combined, put aside and cook the veggies until fork-tender. Add to the roux and introduce the pasta slowly. No one wants to clean cheese sauce off the stove top.

Put in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle panko breadcrumbs (less than 1 tbsp) on top. and bake. This will bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins. You just want to marry the flavors and toast the bread crumbs.

This freezes beautifully, and I divided it into two portions. Rich and cheesy!

Macros:

2 oz pasta - 200 calories, 12grams of protein 6g fiber

2 oz Velveeta Cheese - 160 Calories, 8 grams of protein

1/2 cup cottage cheese - 90 Calories, 14 grams of protein

1 tbsp butter - 100 calories, .1 protein

1 tbsp olive oil - 119 calories, o protein

1cup Fairlife Protein Milk, Low-fat, 100 calories, 13 grams of protein

1 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs, 20 calories, 1 gram protein

(I don't count veggies in my calorie count since I'm not following calories from fiber. I never knew anyone who got fat from eating carrots!)

This recipe makes two servings at 394.5 calories and 24.5 grams of protein/serving.

Would I eat this every day? No, calorically it's not worth it, but when you crave mac and cheese, this works.

ENJOY!