Broccoli & White Bean Mac ‘n’ Cheese
The ultimate healthy comfort food! Nonfat evaporated milk and reduced-fat cheese make this dish rich and creamy while keeping the overall fat content low and protein levels high.
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Nutritional Bonus: Did you know that all peppers start out green, ripen to yellow and, if left to ripen on the vine, eventually become red peppers? This ripening process gives you added nutritional value – red bell peppers have more vitamin C and beta-carotene than other bell peppers!
Ingredients
- 1 cup skim milk, divided
- 3 tbsp whole-wheat pastry flour
- 3/4 cup nonfat evaporated milk
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 oz low-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
- 5 tbsp finely grated or powdered Romano cheese, divided
- Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 oz whole-wheat elbow macaroni (about 1 cup)
- 3 cups chopped 1-inch broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup BPA-free canned unsalted white beans, drained and rinsed (TRY: Eden Organic Cannellini Beans)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Preparation
- In a small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup skim milk and flour; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine remaining 3/4 cup skim milk and evaporated milk. Place saucepan on high heat and stir in garlic and nutmeg. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium and whisk in flour mixture until no lumps remain. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar and 3 tbsp Romano until well blended. Season with salt and pepper, cover and keep warm on lowest heat setting until needed.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add macaroni and broccoli and cook for 6 minutes; pasta will be slightly undercooked at this point. Stir in bell pepper. Drain and return to pot. Stir in beans and milk mixture and heat on low. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until heated through. Spoon onto serving dishes and top with remaining 2 tbsp Romano and paprika, dividing evenly.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 1/2 cup serving
- Calories 379
- Carbohydrate Content 50 g
- Cholesterol Content 33 mg
- Fat Content 10 g
- Fiber Content 8 g
- Protein Content 26 g
- Saturated Fat Content 6 g
- Sodium Content 458 mg
- Sugar Content 11 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 0 g