Traditional Twist Mac & Cheese

16.Traditional Twist Mac & Cheese
We flavor our creamy mac and cheese with mushrooms, ham, Dijon mustard and Swiss cheese! Add your favorite complementary herbs or seasonings to kick it up even more.

Ham, mushrooms, Dijon mustard and Swiss cheese give our newfangled mac & cheese exceptional flavor - and an exceptionally low calorie count (just 299)!

Photo: Edward Pond

By Emily Christopher

Serves: 6
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups whole-grain elbow macaroni
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp natural olive oil buttery spread (TRY: Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread with Olive Oil) or organic unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, finely sliced
• 3 oz extra-lean, uncured, roasted ham, finely diced
• 2 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp brown-rice flour
• 1/4 tsp each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cups 1% milk, divided
• 1 cup grated low-fat Swiss cheese
• Fresh micro herbs for garnish, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil on high. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain and return macaroni to pot, covering to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil and buttery spread on medium-high. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add ham and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add Dijon and 1 cup milk, stirring constantly. Gradually add remaining milk, stirring after each addition. Continue cooking until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until compeltely melted. Add macaroni and stir until well combined. If desired, garnish with herbs and serve.

Nutrients per 1 1/8-cup serving: Calories: 299, Total Fat: 5 g, Sat. Fat: 2 g, Carbs: 48 g, Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 19 g, Sodium: 376 mg, Cholesterol: 20 mg

 Nutritional Bonus: The cremini mushrooms in this dish do more than provide a pleasant, meaty texture: Their beta-glucan (a form of sugar) content provides important immune system support and has the potential to help reduce inflammation. More importantly, creminis are currently being studied as a source of vitamin B12 and as a possible aid in the fight against hormone-dependent breast cancer
.