Makeover Mac 'n Cheese

So, I am a subscriber to the Taste of Home brand magazine, Healthy Cooking. I love it. One of the things I love most about it is that readers can submit their favorite recipes that are, shall we say, not exactly "lite," and ToH's cooks will revamp the recipe and make it a million times better for you, but still really, really yummy. It's pretty cool. I have yet to submit a recipe, but I will someday. As you can probably gather from the title of this post, someone submitted a recipe for homemade mac 'n cheese. When I saw it I thought, yeah, no way that is going to be as good as regular homemade mac. But I tried it anyway. SO good. I love it. Beware, it makes a LOT. We STILL have leftovers and I've been eating some every day for a bit. Here you go...

Makeover Macaroni and Cheese

1 pkg. (16 oz) elbow macaroni (or whatever noodle you want)

2 T. flour

2 c. milk

1 pkg. (16 oz) reduced-fat process cheese, (e.g., Velveeta) cubed

1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine flour and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in process cheese and 1/2 c. cheddar until smooth. Drain macaroni. Stir into cheese sauce.

Remove from heat; sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Now, for the best part. Get this:

Nutrition Info for 1 serving of the original Mac n Cheese:

Calories: 593

Fat: 32 g

Saturated fat: 20 g

Cholesterol: 100 mg

Nutrition Info for 1 serving of the makeover Mac n Cheese:

Calories: 403

Fat: 11 g

Saturated fat: 6 g

Cholesterol: 36 mg

Carbs: 54 g

Fiber: 2 g

Protein: 23 g

And really, this makeover recipe was yummmmy. Mac n Cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods. I am so glad I found a recipe that will let me eat it without killing myself slowly. :)