2 Easy and Healthier Mac and Cheese Ideas

Mac and Cheese! No matter how many calories this dish might have or how unbalanced it is, we are still going to love it and make it whenever we feel like we need some real comfort food. But, luckily for us, today we have some healthier options or replacements that will allow us to still enjoy this meal, without the ever-present feeling of guilt.

Spinach Mac and Cheese

You will need:
-a bag of multigrain pasta
-two cups of sharp 2 percent cheddar cheese
-half a cup of plain Greek yogurt
-a handful of spinach
-garlic salt
-onion powder
-salt and pepper

Start preparing this meal by cooking your pasta. The best option would be if you could make your own pasta, but some healthy store versions, like whole-grain would work as well.  After the pasta is cooked, drain the water, put the pasta back on the stove, add two cups of cheese and again, add half a cup of water into the mix. Stir the pasta and after the cheese is completely melted, add the Greek yogurt, as well. In the end, add some spices for taste and a handful of fresh spinach. The leaves will cook thanks to the heat of the pasta while preserving all the nutrients they would usually lose because of long thermic processing. Even though this meal still has a lot of calories, spinach and Greek yogurt will help balance them out.

Vegan Mac and Cheese

You will need:
-a bowl of pasta of your choice
-one carrot
-one white onion wedge
-two yellow potatoes
-half a cup of raw cashews
-one tablespoon of garlic powder
-one tablespoon of onion powder
one tablespoon of salt

First, start with peeling off potatoes and a carrot. Chop them on larger dices and put them in boiling water, where they will cook for, at least, five minutes. Add onion wedge into the pot and then cook your vegetables for seven minutes more. After seven minutes, or once you notice that the vegetable is becoming soft, remove it from the stove. Save the water in which it was cooked. In another pot start cooking your pasta. While the pasta is cooking, put cooked vegetables, a cup of boiling water, cashews and all the seasoning into the blender and mix it until it becomes runny and silky liquid. That is it. The healthier, meat and dairy-free version of mac and cheese are done. You can serve it with a drizzle of truffle oil or a little bit of smoked paprika, but of course, that is optional. Since this meal would not be it without some cheese, you can choose some of the plant-based options that are on the market. Add it while the pasta is still cooking or just before serving.  If you wish to avoid the extra calories coming from the cheese, use almond or coconut butter to achieve a little bit more creaminess.