High Protein Mac & Cheese
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Description
 I bet you've never had a healthy mac and cheese before. This dish is still cheesy and creamy while packing over 42 g of protein in less 500 calories per serving. You can add even more bulk by adding more vegetables like peppers or broccoli, but I wanted to keep it more traditional here. To elevate this, make it a BBQ Mac & Cheese with Date Sweetened Ketchup or Unsweetened BBQ Sauce, or top it with breadcrumbs and broil the top until crispy!
Time
Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
40 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour
Cost
Total Cost:

Cost per Serving:
$2.17
Ingredients
Serving(s)
Pasta
Protein
  • 1 tsp Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium Onion
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1.3 lb Ground turkey, 93/7
  • 1 tbsp Chili powder
  • 1 tsp Black pepper, ground
Cheese Sauce
  • 8 oz Nonfat cottage cheese
  • 1.25 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup Skim milk
  • 1.5 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp Paprika
  • 1/2 tbsp Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tbsp Onion powder
Topping (optional)
Instructions
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  1. Cook your pasta according to instructions. Strain, rinse with cold water, and set aside

  2. Meanwhile, preheat a large pan over medium heat with oil. Cut your onions into a small dice, and add to the pan with salt. Cover, and cook until translucent, about 5-8 minutes


  3. Add the meat to the pan, and cook until no longer pink. Season with chili powder and black pepper. Remove from the heat


  4. Meanwhile, prepare your cheese sauce by blending together all the ingredients - cottage cheese, shredded cheese, milk, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika


  5. Combine the cheese sauce and pasta with the meat in the a 9x13" casserole pan. Top with shredded cheese, and optionally top with BBQ sauce or breadcrumbs as well


  6. Cover, and bake at 400F until bubbly. This will take about 10 minutes if baking right away, or 30 minutes if preparing ahead of time, refrigerating, and baking later


  7. To meal prep this - split the fish into 6 servings, add some roasted veggies on the side, cover, and refrigerate


Nutrition Facts
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Servings: 6
Calories: 485
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Total Fat: 19.9g (25 %)
Saturated Fat: 8.2g (41 %)
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.8g
Monounsaturated Fat: 3.4g
Cholesterol: 106mg (35 %)
Sodium: 835mg (36 %)
Total Carbohydrate: 38.1g (14 %)
Fiber: 10.3g (37 %)
Net Carbs: 27.8g
Total Sugar: 4.0g
  Added Sugar: 0.0g (0%)
Protein: 42.1g (84 %)
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Vitamin B12: 1.55mcg (65 %)
Vitamin D: 0.87mcg (4 %)
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Calcium: 342mg (26 %)
Iron: 4.51mg (25 %)
Magnesium: 83mg (20 %)
Potassium: 504mg (11 %)
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Glycemic Index:
40.4

Glycemic Load:
16.4