Since I’ve started dieting, the thing I’ve missed the most by far has been pasta….and bread. But mostly pasta. I’m kind of a carboholic if you hadn’t noticed by now.
A big pasta craving struck recently so I went to my pasta pinterest board in hopes that I had something somewhat healthy there that I could add to the menu for that week. And I was totally in luck when I came across this cauliflower macaroni and cheese recipe.
Skim milk and some reduced fat cheeses along with cauliflower combine to make this a lightened up and filling mac-n-cheese.
I love that the cauliflower adds lots of bulk and replaces some of the pasta. That way, I can still get my pasta fix but not overload on it. Plus there’s cheese so that’s always a win.
Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese
2016-03-19 01:49:28
Ingredients
- 1 (12 oz.) box elbow macaroni (I used veggie pasta)
- 1/2 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 4 Tbsp. reduced-fat grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 oz. grated sharp cheddar
- 4 oz. fat-free cream cheese
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt liberally. Add macaroni. When there are 5 minutes remaining for the macaroni, add the cauliflower. Reserve 1/2 cup of the water then drain macaroni and cauliflower.
- In a small bowl, combine Italian breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese and the chopped parsley.
- Dump cheddar, cream cheese, 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, milk, salt and pepper in the pot you used to boil the macaroni. Mix in the macaroni and cauliflower. Stir until combined and cheese is completely melted. Add reserved water.
- Place in a 9×13 baking dish and top with bread crumb mixture (I used fun, colorful mini loaf pans for part of it and an 8×8 pan for the remaining pasta). Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until bubbling and the crumbs are browned.
Adapted from Eat Yourself Skinny
Adapted from Eat Yourself Skinny
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