Lighten Up the Mac ‘N Cheese!

I love macaroni and cheese, but I definitely do not enjoy the stick-to-the-waist effect that comes with it. A traditional macaroni and cheese can pack up to 1000 calories per serving because each bite is smothered in cream, butter and cheese. And if you choose to make mac and cheese from the pre-packaged boxes, then you’re also gulping down an overwhelming amount of sodium and chemicals into the body. However, that doesn’t mean you have to avoid this classic dish, you can easily turn it into a healthy comfort food by making simple changes.

Use cheese with sharp flavour. By substituting in sharp cheese, for example sharp cheddar, you will need smaller portions to make a flavourful sauce. You can experiment with different combinations of cheeses to achieve the ideal flavour balance — extra-sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper-jack are good choices.

Switch to whole-grain pasta. Regular white pasta is made from refined grains that offer minimal nutrients. Make the switch to whole grain pasta for a huge boost in fiber and nutrients. Especially with a creamy cheese sauce, you will not even notice the difference since the strong cheese flavour will mask the earthy, nutty flavour of the whole grain pasta.

Instead of using cream, substitute in lower-fat milk. Any lower-fat milk will work, but I would highly recommend buttermilk. Buttermilk is naturally very low in fat but it retains a very creamy consistency. Adding in part-skim milk, such as 2% or skim, will compromise the richness of the sauce, but when you use buttermilk, creamy consistency will be retained. Plus, the tangy taste from the buttermilk will actually bring out the cheese flavour even more!

Add goodies to the cheese sauce. There are many ingredients you can add to enhance the dish’s nutritional profile and jazz up its flavour at the same time. Pureed cauliflower makes a great secret ingredient in your cheese sauce; it will make the sauce thicker and more creamy without adding in a huge amount of calories. Adding beans will bulk up the dish and add in a high-protein, high-fiber nutritional punch. Another yummy addition would be vegetables. Try tossing in a good handful of colourful vegetables, such as broccoli, red bell peppers, or mushrooms to make the dish more appetizing (plus, this will boost your veggie intake for the day!).

These four simple changes will trim unnecessary calories from the traditional macaroni and cheese without cutting out the signature creaminess and cheesiness. Next time when you make mac and cheese, try to incorporate these substitutions to slim down your dish and turn it into a lighter, healthier and smarter food option!