Low-fat Chipotle Mac and Cheese

Creamy and cheesy with a kick – we subbed in a bunch of yum for extra fat

This recipe for chipotle mac ‘n cheese is sure to be a pleaser.  If this dish could speak it would say ‘I am amazing, I’m loaded with flavor, you will love me.’

A little bird told me (hint: he’s tall and handsome and I’m married to him) ‘try adding Chipotle’ – it was a genius idea, we never looked back.

A bowl of this zesty mac and cheese is hard to keep around

Sometimes when you take the fat out of a recipe you sacrifice flavor  – clearly not the case here.  After the photo shoot I sat myself down for a taste and ate up a heaping bowl of these creamy noodles…and I don’t even normally eat mac ‘n cheese!

Non-fat cottage cheese turns dreamy and creamy after a couple minutes in the Cuisinart

The most amazing part of this recipe is the cottage cheese.  It starts out lumpy and tasteless, and ends up creamy and smooth and out of this world!  How did that happen?  Thank you Cuisinart!  Lots of sharp cheddar cheese doesn’t hurt either.

Enter the chipotle.

Have I told you how much we all love Mexican food?  If you are new to OvenHug you may be wondering, what is an Iranian-American family doing eating so much Mexican food??  Short answer, I really don’t know ’cause Persian food is so yummy.  Long answer – it’s hella easy to prepare, simple to lighten up and make healthy, and guaranteed to please everyone at our table.

In addition to our love of Mexican flavors, mac ‘n cheese has been a favorite of our girls ever since they were little – it’s their ‘go to’ comfort food.  Bob and I, not so much, too plain.  I took Bob’s suggestion to add chipotle to plain ole’ mac and cheese and I threw in a couple of those peppers in adobo sauce, along with some green chilis, and spices to boot.  That is the story of how the recipe for Low-fat Chipotle Mac and Cheese was born.

I have a tough test kitchen crew over here – ‘hubby plus two teens’ gave their Oven-huggable approvals and here we are!

What you will need to pick up from the store to go along with the macaroni:

If you love the flavors and lightness of this recipe, be sure to also try our version of Santa Fe Christmas Enchiladas which is another family favorite.

Recipe note:  you can skip the oven bake part of this recipe as I did last night as long as your shredded cheddar cheeses melt and mix in for ya – just stir up that creaminess and enjoy!

Yield: 5

Low-fat Chipotle Mac and Cheese

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Low-fat mac and cheese with a zing. This is an easy, oven baked recipe that the whole family will devour.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb box of macaroni or elbow noodles
• 1 16 oz container lowfat or nonfat cottage cheese
• 2 c low-fat or non-fat milk
• 2 T flour
• 2 c shredded or grated low-fat or non-fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 3 oz can (about 1/4 cup) of green chili's (plain or fire roasted)
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, chopped
• Spices:
• 2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. onion powder
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 t. cumin
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• optional: a couple sprinkles of smoked paprika and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Cook and drain macaroni noodles - spray a little spray oli on noodles to keep them from getting sticky
3. Whisk together 1/4 c. of the milk with 2 T. flour in a sauce pan
4. Whisk in the remaining 1 3/4 c. milk
5. Cook over medium heat stirring as it thickens and boils
6. Remove the pan from the heat
7. Run/pulse cottage cheese through food processor until cream-like
8. Stir together the creamed cottage cheese with the milks and flour mixture
9. Add in the grated/shredded cheddar cheese
10. Stir the cheese mixture until the cheddar is fully melted and combined
11. Add the spices
12. Combine noodles with cheese sauce in a large bowl
13. Transfer cheesy noodles to casserole dish or ramekins
14. Use 16 X 20 in pyrex or 7 1/2 X 9 1/2 in glass tupperware or ramekins
15. Bake in 375 degree F oven for about 20 minutes, broil last 2 to 5 minutes for a browned top

Notes

You can skip the oven bake part of this recipe as I did last night as long as your shredded cheddar cheeses melt and mix in for ya - just stir up that creaminess and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

5

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 710Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 2011mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 4gSugar: 12gProtein: 43g