Reduced-Guilt Macaroni & Cheese

I've been trying my hardest to stay away from junk foods since Spring began, but you how sometimes you just get the biggest craving for something incredibly bad for you? The other night I had one thing on my mind and one thing only. I wanted macaroni. And cheese. Mmm...carbs and fat....

So rather than allow myself to buy that horrible bright orange powder macaroni & cheese stuff from the supermarket (that makes me feel a little sick everytime I remember the smell of it), I was lucky to have this recipe to fall back on. I wouldn't go so far to call it low-fat, it's still got plenty of cheese and pasta, but it's definitely not as bad as the full blown normal version thanks to the use of cottage cheese. You would think that the low-fat cottage cheese would make it taste powdery and crap but it's surprisingly creamy and smooth. I usually use a big casserole dish for this when I'm feeling lazy but I also love serving it in little individual cups! It's the perfect portion size :)

Reduced-Guilt Macaroni & Cheese
(adapted from Le Corden Bleu's Complete Cooking Step-by-Step)
250g elbow macaroni
375g low fat cottage cheese
2 tbsp plain flour
375ml skim milk
75g mature cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
30g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Cook macaroni as per packet instructions, but do not add salt to the boiling water. Drain macaroni well. Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. Either prepare a casserole dish or individual serve bowls or cups by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Fill dish/dishes with macaroni.

Blend cottage cheese until smooth in a food processor with the knife blade attachment. Whisk flour with 60 ml of the skim milk in a large saucepan until smooth. Gradually stir in the remaining milk until combined. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens slightly and is just about to boil. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the cottage cheese, cheddar, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Pour cheese sauce over the macaroni. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and preheat your grill in the meantime. Sprinkle parmesan on top and place macaroni on the closest position in your oven to the grill, heat for 2-3 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbling.

It can be a super easy side dish for dinner or the perfect snack to satisfy your junk food cravings. Unfortunately I didn't remember to grab a photo of the teacup versions that I made, I ate it too quickly!