Healthyish Macaroni & Cheese

Macaroni & Cheese… a food that needs no fancy introduction.

As a child, macaroni was seriously my all time favorite food. Let’s just say not a lot has changed in my adult life.

The only difference now is instead of making and eating macaroni & cheese from a blue box, I choose to make a homemade version with healthified ingredients!

Check out the recipe below!

Healthified Macaroni & Cheese

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 (1 cup)

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) package whole wheat macaroni (or chickpea pasta!)
2 T butter
2 1/2 T whole wheat flour
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 cups milk (we use 1% OR unsweetened original almond milk)
1/2 cup bread crumbs (or you could use crushed crackers or croutons)
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
1 pinch paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni in boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite (I usually cook it about 2-3 mins LESS than what is recommended on package). Drain noodles.
Melt 2 T butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a roux. Slowly add milk to roux, stirring constantly. Stir in cheddar and parmesan cheeses and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and sauce is thick (about 3 mins). Add garlic powder if opting to use.
Place macaroni in large baking dish and pour cheese sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
Spread breadcrumbs over macaroni. Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake in preheated oven until cheese sauce is hot and bread crumbs are browned, about 3o minutes.
Eat & Enjoy!