Creamy Potato Soup

I made this recipe in our slow cooker yesterday because I've been craving potato soup, and it was delicious. Very simple to put together also. I made it vegan by using unsweetented soy milk, but if you don't have that on hand, you could use something else.

Creamy Potato Soup
Adapted from Healthy Slow Cooking

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled & diced
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup unsweetened soy milk

In slow cooker, combine all ingredients except soy milk. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir in milk and puree with an immersion blender or mash potatoes with a potato masher before serving.

I topped the bowl in the photo with McCormick Bac'n Bits* and chopped scallions (no-count). You could also add fat free cheddar cheese or vegan cheddar cheese*.

Tempeh Bell Pepper Chili

I found this recipe using one of my favorite iPad apps -- the Whole Foods app. It's free and is great for finding recipes that use ingredients you have on hand, or figuring out what to do with something you haven't tried before. I have a few blocks of tempeh I need to use up, so I bought some bell peppers this week so we could try it. It turned out delicious and is very easy! (And it only cost $1.16 per serving. I bought the peppers at Aldi. Wouldn't buy them anywhere else this time of year! Tempeh is cheapest at Trader Joe's.)

Tempeh Bell Pepper Chili
From Whole Foods

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 oz package tempeh, crumbled
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 tsp salt
Ground black pepper to taste
2 15-oz cans kidney beans, rinsed & drained
2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 cup water
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute peppers, garlic, and tempeh in oil 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat to med-low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Uncover and let stand at least 5-10 minutes to thicken and cool before serving.

Makes 6 servings, 1 heaping cup each.

Recipe Review: Spanish Chickpea, Tomato & Kale Stew

This recipe come from the new Weight Watchers Power Foods cookbook's vegetarian chapter. I thought it looked interesting, and I had some kale to use up. Since I had all of the ingredients on hand for the most part, I decided to give it a try. I did substitute 1 tsp of turmeric for the 1/4 tsp of saffron threads it called for, based on a recommendation I found online to use 4 times as much turmeric when substituting for saffron. I also used smoked paprika -- the recipe calls for either smoked or regular paprika. I feel like the smoked paprika added a little bit more complexity to the flavor of the stew, so I would recommend using it. It has a bit of a lengthy cooking time and took almost an hour from start to finish, including prep time, but it was very good! I also served it with brown rice to round it out and add some whole grains to the meal.

Here's what it looked like:

Throw Together Chili: Meatless Redoux

With my new vegetarian lifestyle, I am working on adapting some of my favorite recipes that involve meat to be meatless. Since this chili is one of my cold-weather basics, it's up first. :) It's super easy to make meatless, and it saves you a little money and some calories. This is the 6-serving version -- if you are cooking for two, feel free to cut the recipe in half and store the remaining "beef" crumbles in a Ziploc bag or bowl to use within a few days. Perhaps some spaghetti with "meat" sauce? ;)

I used the Lightlife Smart Ground crumbles because that is what is available at the store my husband went to last night. You can also use Trader Joe's Beefless Ground Beef or Yves Meatless Ground Round -- all are the same product. They are refrigerated, usually in the produce section, and always near the tofu. Walmart has the Yves, and they are in the produce section. The crumbles are in a clear plastic pouch contained in a cardboard sleeve. Buying these instead of ground beef also saves me a little money -- 93% or leaner ground beef at my stores will run you at least $4...the Smart Ground is $3.39 at Meijer and is the equivalent to a pound of ground beef.

Meatless Throw Together Chili

1 small to medium onion, chopped
12 oz package Lightlife Smart Ground Original "beef" crumbles
2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce (or one 15 oz can)
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder

In a large saucepan or stockpot spritzed with cooking spray, saute the onion until soft. (If it sticks, add a little water.) Add in the crumbles and break up with a wooden spoon. Add remaining ingredients, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for at least 15 minutes.

Italian-Style Tempeh with Rotini

I invented this dish tonight because I had a package of tempeh I needed to use up. I had read that I could crumble it up and use it as a substitute for ground beef, so that was my inspiration for this dish. It was very easy to put together, vegan, and very tasty. It's not too colorful once the pasta is stirred in, but it would be prettier with a zucchini if you have one on hand. You could substitute pretty much any mild vegetable if you're not a fan of summer squash.

Italian-Style Tempeh with Rotini

1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz tempeh, crumbled
1 medium summer squash or zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 cups sugar free, fat free pasta sauce (I use Whole Foods 365 brand)
6 oz whole wheat rotini (measured dry)

Cook rotini according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add crumbled tempeh and squash and saute until tempeh starts to brown. Add sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until pasta is done. Drain pasta well and stir into sauce mixture.

This recipe makes 4 servings and includes 3/4 tsp of healthy oils per serving.

Recipe Review: Hearty Beef & Hominy Chili

This post is something new for this blog -- a recipe review without the recipe itself. I want to be able to share my opinions of the recipes in the currently available Weight Watchers cookbooks without reprinting them. So here is my first "recipe review." Hopefully you will find these helpful in deciding whether or not to purchase the books.

Tonight we tried the Beef & Hominy Chili from the new Power Foods Cookbook available in WW centers and at meetings. I made it vegetarian (and saved 2 PointsPlus per serving) by using Lightlife Smart Ground "beef" crumbles. I did have to add some water to make up for the lost moisture that the beef would have produced, but otherwise I followed the recipe as written. I chose Fire Roasted diced tomatoes to add a smoky flavor. (And I forgot the salt, but it was fine without it.) It had a nice flavor, not too spicy, and was very filling for the 1 1/2 cup serving. I would definitely recommend trying this one.

Here's a visual:

Smoky Split Pea Soup

It turns out, you really don't need ham to make a hearty, smoky soup! The important part is the salty, smoky flavor, as is demonstrated in this vegan soup that's perfect for a cold winter's day. It's really important that you use smoked paprika, not regular paprika, for this recipe. McCormick makes it in their gourmet line. (It's also fun to substitute it for regular paprika in other recipes to change the flavor up a bit.)

Smoky Split Pea Soup
Adapted from the book Appetite for Reduction

1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped small
4 cloves garlic, minced
A few pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
4 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 1/4 cups dried split peas (rinsed)
6 cups vegetable broth (I used low sodium)
(The original recipe also called for 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, which I omitted.)

In a 4-qt saucepan or stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 4 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic, salt & pepper, and saute one minute more. Add paprika and thyme and stir constantly for about 15 minutes to toast spices. Add carrots, split peas, and broth, cover, and bring to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 40 minutes or until peas are tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving for maximum flavor.

Note: It took my peas about an hour to get tender...and they still weren't as tender as I would have liked, but we were hungry and wanted to eat. Next time I may adapt this to the slow cooker so I can be sure the peas all get really tender.

This recipe makes 5 servings of 1 1/2 cups each.

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

I love my slow cooker, because you can "set it and forget it." Dinner is ready whenever you are, and the cooking is already done...so it's great for busy evenings. This recipe does call for some skillet-cooking of vegetables ahead of time, but I think it would probably be fine if you didn't do that, as long as you cook it the full 8 hours. You could also leave out the oil if you did it that way. As usual, I have backed down on the spices in my version because I'm not a fan of things that are really hot. If you want it hot, add the 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper back into the recipe.

Black Bean Soup
Adapted from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
2 14.5 oz cans black beans, rinsed & drained
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (not drained)
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
salt & pepper to taste
2 bay leaves

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, bell pepper, and minced garlic, stir, cover, and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Meanwhile, in slow cooker, add beans, tomatoes, and spices and stir together. When vegetables are done, add them to the cooker. Pour broth over top, stir, and add the bay leaves. Cook on low for 8 hours. Before serving, remove bay leaves and use an immersion blender for a few seconds to puree a small portion of the soup, just enough to thicken. You can also remove 2 cups of soup from the cooker and puree in a blender, and add back to the soup.

This recipe makes 6 servings of 1 1/2 cups each.

Becoming Vegetarian

Over the past couple of weeks, my Meatless Mondays have turned into several meatless days in a row, and as a result I have been working on transitioning to a vegetarian diet. I already feel so much better. I am sleeping better and I am eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, which means I don't need my multivitamins anymore. That's plenty enough to make me want to eat this way all the time!

As a result, the recipes on this blog will be changing a bit, as I use meatless items to create them instead of meat. Of course, if you would rather have the meat, you can certainly use it -- most of what I post will be easily substituted because I do like to have fun with some of the "faux" meat products out there. So, if I'm using beefless beef crumbles, you can use a pound of ground beef if you'd rather, or give the crumbles a try -- it's up to you. :)

I hope you'll all still find this blog helpful, even if I'm not using meat.

Check the next post for an awesome meatless recipe. :)

Cornbread Topped Southwest Pot Pie

This is an easy and tasty Meatless Monday recipe with a healthy dose of fiber! :) And best of all, it's a "pot pie" with a cornmeal crust that cooks right in the slow cooker. The original recipe called for cooking the onion, carrots, and peppers in a skillet before adding to the slow cooker, but I didn't do this and it turned out fine.

Cornbread Topped Southwest Pot Pie
Adapted from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker

1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1/2 sweet bell pepper, chopped
28 oz can pinto beans, rinsed & drained (or 2 smaller cans)
1 cup frozen corn
4 oz can diced green chiles
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
3/4 cup vegetable stock
1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup plain soy milk (or fat free milk)

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except the oil, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and milk. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours or high for 3 hours. About an hour before serving, in a large bowl, stir together remaining ingredients, spoon over ingredients in the slow cooker and spread evenly. Cover, turn slow cooker to high, and cook about 30 minutes to 1 hour or until crust is done. Serves 4 with 1 1/2 tsp of your healthy oils per serving.

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

If you're looking for an easy recipe that you can toss in the slow cooker before work or a busy day and come home to a warm, homemade dinner, this one is perfect. You can dice your own potatoes and onions if you prefer, or you can use refrigerated, prepared diced potatoes with onions. (Be sure to check the ingredients list for added sugar or oil.) I apologize that this recipe doesn't have a photo -- I forgot to take it and the leftovers were gone before I could get one, but I wanted to share the recipe anyhow.

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

5 potatoes, peeled & diced
1 large onion, diced
(or 2 bags prepared diced potatoes with onions)
2 cups diced ham
3 stalks celery, chopped
15.25 oz can corn (not drained)
2 cubes chicken bouillon*
2 tbsp Blue Bonnet light margarine*
water
12 oz can fat free evaporated milk

Add potatoes, onion, ham, celery, corn, bouillon cubes, and margarine to slow cooker. Stir to combine. Add water to cover. Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Stir in evaporated milk and cook 30 minutes more.

This recipe makes 10 2-cup servings.

Bulgur and Bean Chili

It's Meatless Monday! :) I have been trying to eat "meatless" on Mondays for a couple of months now, and I hope that some of my readers will join me in making one or two days a week consistently meatless. Why go meatless? Because if every American ate no meat just ONE day a week, it would be like taking more than 19 million cars off the road. That's a lot of energy and a lot of pollution!

This is a great chili for meatless Monday. The bulgur provides a texture similar to ground beef in the chili and thickens it up quite a bit. It's also very nutritious. If you can't find it, look in the natural foods section of your grocery store or in a health foods store. Whole Foods has it available in the bulk bins. I am posting my version of this recipe, because I made a few changes to suit my tastes. To see the original version, click on the link below the title. It was plenty "kicky" enough for me this way and would have been way too spicy with the original recipe. I also topped mine with a dollop of fat free Greek yogurt.

Bulgur and Bean Chili

Adapted from WeightWatchers.com

1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 cups water
28 oz crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
3/4 cup uncooked bulgur
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 cup frozen corn
15 1/2 oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (fresh)
1/2 tsp fresh lime juice

Heat oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and pepper, saute until tender (about 5 minutes). Add chili powder and garlic and saute until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add water, tomatoes, bulgur, and salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn and beans and simmer, covered, 5 more minutes, or until corn and bulgur are tender. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.

Makes 6 servings, 1 1/4 cup each.

Paula Deen's Jambalaya

Having lived in the south from age 9 to 22, I love some good southern cooking. As a result, a lot of Paula Deen's recipes appeal to me. But most of them aren't all that healthy. This one, however, wasn't that bad as written, and it was easy to improve its healthfulness -- I just had to be choosy about the brand of sausage I bought and substitute brown rice instead of white. I used short grain brown rice, since short-grain rice is typical of jambalaya, and Jennie-O smoked turkey kielbasa.

Paula Deen's Jambalaya

Adapted from FoodNetwork.com

1 cup short grain brown rice
3 tbsp dried minced onion
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp beef bouillon granules
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I left this out)
1/4 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups water
15 oz can diced tomatoes (not drained)
8 oz can tomato sauce
8 oz Jennie-O Lean Turkey Kielbasa (rope style)
12 oz raw large shrimp, peeled & deveined

Combine all ingredients except shrimp in a dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until rice is tender. Add shrimp and cook 5-7 minutes more, until shrimp are cooked through. Makes 4 servings of about 1 1/2 cups each.

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Bake

This is an easy casserole to throw together at the end of the day, especially if you use Uncle Ben's Ready Rice and keep chopped, cooked chicken in the freezer. Two pouches is about 4 cups. You will want to cook them in the microwave first. I bake and chop chicken breasts ahead of time and keep it in the freezer for dishes like this.

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Bake

2 plain baked chicken breasts, chopped (4-5 oz each)
4 cups cooked brown rice
3/4 cups frozen corn
15 oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
4 oz can chopped green chiles
1/2 cup fat free salsa
1 3/4 cups fat free cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except 3/4 cup of cheese. Mix thoroughly, making sure yogurt and cheese are distributed throughout the bowl. Transfer to a 9x13" casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Using an oil mister, spray the top layer of cheese to aid in melting. (I used a 10-pump spray in my WW oil sprayer.) Bake for 20-25 minutes, until heated through.

Allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting into 6 slices.

New Potato & Turkey Skillet

I recently purchased a couple of new cookbooks produced by Clean Eating magazine, and I'm excited to try the recipes in them. This one looked relatively easy and gave me an opportunity to try something I hadn't before -- swiss chard. It was easily made completely SFT by substituting fat free feta for the regular feta called for in the recipe. Also, I prepared this in a dutch oven instead of a skillet, because my skillet is only ovenproof to 350 degrees and the recipe needed to cook at 425.

New Potato & Turkey Skillet
Adapted from The Best of Clean Eating 2

1 lb ground turkey breast
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb new potatoes, scrubbed & diced into 1" cubes
Pinch dried thyme
3/4 cup low sodium, fat free chicken broth
1 lb swiss chard, thick stems removed and leaves chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (I used a sprinkle of dried rosemary)
Pinch red chile flakes (optional)
Juice 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup fat free feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 425. Heat a 12" ovenproof skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat on stove. Add ground turkey breast to skillet, season with salt & pepper, and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink. Remove ground turkey to a bowl and set aside. Turn off stove, add potatoes and thyme to skillet, and place skillet in preheated oven. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring once about halfway through. Carefully remove from oven and place back on stove over medium-high heat. Leave oven on. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Add chard and stir just until wilted. Add tomatoes, rosemary, chile flakes, and lemon juice. Return broth to a simmer, turn off stove, and carefully place back in oven. Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring halfway through, until tomato skins burst. Divide among 4 serving bowls and top each bowl with 2 tbsp fat free feta. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Creamy White Chili

A friend of mine shared this recipe on Facebook and said it was great. When I saw how easily it could be made healthier, I knew I had to give it a try. She was right; it is delicious!

Creamy White Chili
Adapted from Taste of Home

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp canola oil
2 cans (15.5 oz) great northern beans, rinsed & drained
14.5 oz chicken broth
2 cans (4 oz each) diced green chiles
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup fat free sour cream
1/2 cup fat free half & half

In a large saucepan, saute the onion, chicken, and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chiles, and seasonings. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and half & half.

Note: I left out the second can of green chiles and cayenne pepper to calm down the heat for my personal tastes.

Classic Lasagna

This filling dish is easy enough for a weeknight, but good enough to serve for a special occasion. The no-cook lasagna noodles take away a lot of the extra work associated with making lasagna, and truly make it easy. You'll end up with lots of leftovers -- this recipe makes 8 servings -- so if you don't want that many, cut the recipe in half and use a smaller casserole dish.

Classic Lasagna

2 cups fat free cottage cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp dried parsley
1 lb 93% lean (or leaner) ground beef
1 tsp minced garlic
1 small onion, chopped
26 oz Whole Foods Everyday 365 Fat Free Pasta Sauce, divided
14.5 oz can Italian-style diced tomatoes
3 oz tomato paste
8 sheets DeLallo no-boil whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 3/4 cups fat free mozzarella cheese, divided

In a medium bowl, beat egg and then add cottage cheese and parsley. Stir until combined and refrigerate until needed. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta sauce and set aside. In a skillet, brown ground beef with garlic and onion; drain fat. Stir in remaining pasta sauce (about 2 3/4 cups), diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Warm through and remove from heat.

Assemble lasagna as follows in 13x9" casserole dish lightly misted with olive oil:

Reserved 1/2 cup sauce
4 sheets lasagna noodles, overlapping slightly to fit
Half of cottage cheese mixture
Half of meat sauce
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
4 sheets lasagna noodles
Remaining cottage cheese mixture
Remaining meat sauce
1 cup cheese

Cover and bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 more minutes to melt and crisp cheese on top.

Vegetarian Lasagna

I love this lasagna recipe because it's so tasty and very versatile. You can substitute any veggies you want and it should come out just fine. It was also very easy to make SFT-friendly by using fat free cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese in place of the full-fat versions. I think my mom cut it out of the newspaper when I was in high school, so we've been making it for a while. The version I'm posting is half of the original recipe, perfect for 4 people and made in an 8x8" baking dish. If you are serving more or want lots of leftovers, make it in a 13x9" pan and double it.

Vegetarian Lasagna

4 sheets DeLallo whole wheat no-boil lasagna
3/4 cup fat free cottage cheese
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese*
1 egg white, slightly beaten
2 tsp dried parsley
1 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 small yellow summer squash, quartered and sliced
3/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
14.5 oz can Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 tsp minced garlic
4 tsp olive oil
1 3/4 cups Kraft fat free shredded mozzarella cheese
2 1/4 cups Whole Foods 365 Fat Free Pasta Sauce
3 oz tomato paste

In a small bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, egg, parsley, and grated Parmesan. Refrigerate until needed. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and tomatoes (slightly drained) until tender. Stir together marinara sauce and tomato paste in small bowl.

Assemble lasagna as follows in 8x8" baking dish:

Layer of marinara sauce mixture (about 1/3 of it)
2 sheets lasagna
Half of cottage cheese mixture
Half of vegetables
2/3 cup mozzarella
Layer of marinara sauce mixture (about 1/3 of it)
2 sheets lasagna
Remainder of cottage cheese mixture
Remainder of vegetables
2/3 cup mozzarella
Remainder of marinara sauce mixture
Remainder of mozzarella

Using a misting oil sprayer or olive oil cooking spray, lightly mist the top layer of cheese to aid in melting and browning. I used a 10-pump spray in my Weight Watchers oil sprayer.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Makes 4 servings.

Apple Cider Beef Stew

I created this recipe today after looking at several different ones for apple cider beef stew. Since I'm too lazy to simmer anything on the stove for over 2 hours, I brought the slow cooker into play, and came up with this. It was very tasty, with a nice combination of sweet and savory flavors.

Apple Cider Beef Stew

1/2 lb lean and trimmed stew beef (I buy mine at Walmart, it's called "super trim" there)
1 medium potato, peeled & diced
1 large carrot, peeled & cut into 3/4" chunks
1 celery stalk, cut into 1/2" slices
1 medium apple, peeled, cored & diced
1/2 small onion, cut into large squares
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups apple cider*
4 tsp apple cider vinegar

Layer vegetables and meat in bottom of 2 1/2-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle seasonings over meat. Pour cider and vinegar over all. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Makes 3 servings of 1 1/2 cups each.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

While it's not quite the same as grandma's buttery version, this mac and cheese is very creamy, cheesy and satisfying. There is a small amount of flour in the recipe, but it's not enough to bother counting (unless you consume the whole recipe all by yourself). Each serving also contains 1 tsp of healthy oils for the day.

I usually cut this recipe in half and bake it in a 1-quart casserole dish for just my husband and I (and that's what's in the photo). The full recipe as written below contains 6 servings of about 3/4 cup each -- if you plan to eat more or have a large family you might want to double it. The original recipe also uses whole wheat penne, but I find that the medium shells work better and seem more classic "mac and cheese"-like.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Adapted from Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

8 oz whole wheat pasta (I use Whole Foods Organic Whole Wheat Shells)
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
2 1/3 cups fat free cheddar cheese (divided)
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain & rinse with warm water; set aside. In a large saucepan (a round-bottomed saucier pan works best) heat oil over medium, then whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk gradually until smooth. Bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of cheese and salt and pepper. Stir in pasta. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish and top with remaining 1/3 cup cheese. Bake for 25 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly.