Meatless Monday: Healthier Mac

This is my first attempt at Meatless Monday. If you like this blog idea, please let me know and I will continue to do these posts. :)

So everyone loves macaroni & cheese, right? But the crap in the box is just, well, gross... and the yummy oven baked stuff is high in calories. I set out to find a happy medium, and after just a little bit of trial and error I think I have succeeded. The pictures aren't the greatest (I haven't quite mastered cooking and photographing things at the same time yet), but the meal is nothing short of perfection. Try it out, and let me know what you think!

First, gather your ingredients:

-elbow noodles (you could do wheat noodles)

-12oz fat free small curd cottage cheese

-8oz fat free sour cream

-1/4 cup butter (I used Smart Balance light)

-1 cup broccoli

-2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

-1/4 cup light parmesan

-1 cup bread crumbs

Preheat your oven to 350*F.

Prepare your broccoli by steaming or boiling it. Set aside.

Cook the elbow noodles as you normally would (boil the water, add the noodles, drain).

Pour noodles into a casserole pan (9x9 works great). Add shredded cheese, parmesan, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Stir all of the ingredients together.

Cut broccoli up into small pieces and add to the macaroni mixture.

Melt your butter in a bowl, using your microwave. It only takes about 30 seconds. Mix in bread crumbs. Pour over macaroni mixture.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes and ta-da! Home made, healthier mac in under 45 minutes.

Regular recipe calories: About 600

Healthy recipe calories: Under 400

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