Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

by Healthy Heart Miracle Diet
(Rd.com)

Being one of the best known comfort food favourites, you'll love this broiled homemade macaroni and cheese recipe below, which is low in fat and calories so it won’t ruin your diet. Low fat ricotta cheese has a great taste and gives the macaroni a moist texture.


Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
(With Broccoli and Cherry Tomatoes)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets

• 1/4 cup chopped onion

• 1 cup sweet 100s or other bite-size cherry tomatoes

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 10 ounces curly macaroni, fusilli, or elbow noodles

• 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

• Pinch of crushed red pepper

• 1/2 cup coarsely shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces/60 g)


Preparation:

• Heat the oil in a 10-inch (25-cm) skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat until the garlic begins to sizzle. Add the broccoli and onions and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat and let stand.

• Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente or firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the cooking water. Leave the pasta in the colander.

• Whisk the ricotta and 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the reserved cooking water in the pasta pot over medium heat until smooth. Add the vegetables, Parmesan, and crushed red pepper. Stir to blend. Toss in the pasta and combine to evenly distribute the sauce and vegetables. Add the remaining 1/4 cup (50 mL) of cooking water, if the pasta seems too dry. Heat through, stirring, for 3 minutes.


• Coat a 9 × 13-inch (22 × 330-cm) oval gratin pan that can safely go under the broiler with nonstick cooking spray. Adjust the oven rack so that the top of the dish will be 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) from the broiler. Preheat the broiler.

• Spread the pasta mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Broil until the top is golden and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.


Nutritional Values Per Serving:

317 calories, 10 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 41 g carbohydrate, 15 g protein, 2 g fiber, 25 mg cholesterol, 161 mg sodium, 232 mg calcium

Original Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Recipe


*Here I'd like to tell you about a healthy diet program that uses a lot of the lower GI foods: Isabel de los Rios' 'The Diet Solution Program'.

The Diet Solution Program favours a long term health orientated approach to fat loss, but not offering anyone a quick fix to their weight troubles. It has loads of valuable data and research to support its approach. I personally investigated the program thoroughly and my mum has been using it for a while now. I have to say she got some great results.

The nutrition plan is one of the healthiest we have seen, a strong core focus on vegetables, fruits, vitamin dense foods, lean proteins, select dairy produce and a clear approach to not expecting one diet to work for all body types. So give it a try and let me know how you’re doing.*