Happy Monday! Who loves mac and cheese? I know I do! When I think about mac and cheese I reminisce about being a little kid, making my kraft mac and cheese in the microwave, and pouring on the cheese powder which magically turned into delicious, gold sauce and immediately inhaling the entire bowl! That mac and cheese was oh so good but it was SO unhealthy. I mean whats so appetizing about powdered cheese anyway? …not much if you’re sober or above the age of five.
Anyways, I am happy to announce that I have discovered a delicious mac and cheese dish that will make you feel like a kid again! They’re made of whole wheat macaroni noodles, are cooked in a muffin pan, and only have 120 calories per muffin! (Compare that to the 230 calories per serving of the traditional stuff). Serving sizes are important to look at when you’re examining the damage on the back of the box. A lot of times a box will say “150 calories per serving” then in teeny tiny letters either below or right above that it says “Servings per box: 4”. If you don’t pay attention to these little details you could set yourself back 600 calories and not even realize it!
While we’re on the subject, did you know that a serving size is supposed to be (give or take) the size of your fist? Whats that? Muffin pans are also about the size of your fist? And these mac and cheese “muffins” are baked in muffin pans?! Hello portion control! PS- since this recipe makes 12 muffins, this is a great meal to cook at the beginning of the week (aka Monday) and eat leftovers for dinner on Wednesday or to bring to work for lunch! To do so, simply reheat in the microwave!
TIP: Measuring out portions of food before you eat or cook them will help prevent overeating, which makes you feel better and reduces the amount of uneaten food you throw away leaving room for leftovers.
Enough about that. I’m hungry. Let’s talk food.
This dish is super easy to cook! In fact, when I started learning how to cook this was always my go to! Now, stating the obvious, but you start by cooking the macaroni noodles. Notice that the recipe calls for 4 cups of COOKED macaroni (AKA about 2 1/2 cups of dry macaroni). Measure out 4 cups when you’re done cooking it. Oh, and be good to your body and use the whole wheat stuff. I promise you won’t regret it!
I decided to add in fresh spinach and shrimp to get some extra nutrients and protein. If you have a picky eater on your hands, let me share a secret with you. If you disguise healthy food in traditionally un-healthy food, its not only a great April Fools Day prank but this picky eater of yours will never know what they ate! Add the shrimp to the boiling noodles so that it can wilt.
To stay on the slim side I used Kraft fat-free sharp cheddar cheese and gruyere cheese, which is a wonderfully delicious version of swiss cheese and can be found in the specialty cheese aisle.
While the noodles are cooking make the cheese sauce. Start by making a roux (a french way of thickening up a sauce) in a saucepan by whisking together flour and butter. Add in some minced garlic and whisk until fragrant. Pour in some skim milk and bring all contents to a boil before reducing the heat to medium. Stir in the cheddar and gruyere cheese and mix until sauce becomes thick. Try to resist sampling the cheese sauce if you can!
Next, remove the sauce pan from the burner and off the heat and stir in the egg and egg white. By now your noodles should be done cooking, so drain them using a pasta strainer and measure out 4 cups of macaroni. Add those 4 cups to the cheese sauce and mix well before stirring in diced cooked shrimp. Make sure you use 1 1/4 cup of diced, COOKED shrimp! (Ask for 1/2 pound at the fish counter).
Generously grease a 12 pan muffin pan and scoop your soon to be mac and cheese into the cups filling almost to the top. (See picture above for reference). Pop those babies in the oven at 400 degrees F for 10 – 15 minutes and you’ve got yourself some fancy mac and cheese!
Let them cool before removing from the muffin pan. I know it will be hard to wait a few extra minutes, but if you want them to stay in the shape of muffins keep your hands off! Sprinkle with some fresh parmesan cheese and enjoy!
- • 4 cups cooked whole wheat macaroni noodles (2 1/2 cups dry macaroni noodles)
- • 4 cups fresh spinach
- • 1 Tbs butter
- • 1 Tbs flour
- • 1 cup skim milk
- • 1 garlic clove, minced
- • 1 cup fat-free sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- • 1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
- • 1 egg
- • 1 egg white
- • 1 1/4 cups pre-cooked shrimp, diced (ask for 1/2 pound of COOKED shrimp at the fish counter)
- • Cook 2 1/2 cups macaroni in boiling water. When water starts to boil add spinach. Drain water when noodles are cooked and set aside.
- • Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- • Melt butter in a saucepan over high heat and add flour. Whisk together to create a roux.
- • Stir in garlic until fragrant and pour in milk. Bring all contents to a boil then reduce heat.
- • Add cheddar & gruyere cheese to saucepan. Stir cheese until sauce thickens then remove from heat.
- • Add egg and egg white into cheese sauce and mix well.
- • Add 4 cups of cooked macaroni noodles into cheese sauce. Stir until noodles are completely covered. Stir in diced, cooked shrimp.
- • Generously spray a 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick spray and evenly fill each space with a large spoonful of macaroni. Each pan should be filled to the top.
- • Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from pan and serving.
- 120 calories per muffin.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Re-heat in microwave.
