Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese

Tonight's dinner was a Cooking Light version of Gouda Mac and Cheese. Before we switched to our healthy cooking lifestyle we had a recipe for a smoked gouda mac and cheese that was amazing but not the healthiest. This was not quite the same but still pretty good. We substituted panko (Japanese bread crumbs) instead of using the wheat bread which also cut down on calories a bit. 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

SIDE NOTE: I figured out how to import my recipes from Plan to Eat so hopefully this will make the format more consistent.

Ingredients

• 1 (1-ounce) slice whole wheat bread
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups fat-free milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
• 1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 5 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
• 4 cups hot cooked elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked)
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, salt, and pepper, stirring constantly with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil; cook until thick (about 2 minutes). Add cheeses; stir until melted. Add spinach and macaroni to cheese sauce, stirring until well blended. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until bubbly. Makes 4 servings.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 399

Fat: 10.9g
Cholesterol: 33mg

Sodium: 725mg

Carbohydrate: 54.9g

Fiber: 3.7g

Protein: 20.1g