mac n' cheese

Let's face it. Nobody's perfect.

As much as I encourage healthy eating habits, even I can't be perfect all the time. But eating healthy MOST of the time allows for a splurge every once in a while, right? Well, I say YES!

You'd think I'd be eating super healthy this week considering this coming holiday weekend will involve a whole day of bikini-wearing and heavy beer drinking, but the rainy weather is killing any motivation I had. So, in my attempt to clean out my fridge and hide indoors, I made mac n' cheese. Oops! Wait! Nevermind. I'm not apologizing for eating it because it was delicious! And while it was a splurge, I did my best to put a healthier spin on it than normal (considering it was made from leftovers).

I had leftover skim milk in my freezer — I use it so infrequently that I just freeze it. I also used up the leftover part-skim mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano & sharp white cheddar. To make myself feel a little better, I paired my mac n' cheese with an arugula salad to lighten it up.

Lighter Leftover Mac n' Cheese

• 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 Tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk, warmed
• 1/2 lb. of whole wheat fusilli
• 1 cup sharp white cheddar, grated
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 cup part skim-mozzarella, grated
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch of paprika
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 strips cooked bacon (crisp), trimmed of excess fat & crumbled

Breadcrumb Topping:

• 1/8 cup bread crumbs
• 1 Tbsp parmesan
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Pam

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, once melted, whisk in flour until smooth and incorporated to make a roux. Slowly whisk in warm milk. Add bay leaf, paprika, nutmeg, black pepper & salt. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until thickened. Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water according to directions. Drain and set aside. Once the milk mixture is thickened, remove from heat, remove bay leaf, and stir in cheeses until melted. Add pasta and bacon and stir well to combine. Spray 4 oven-safe ramekins with Pam, put equal portions of mac n' cheese in each. Mix all breadcrumb toppings in a bowl. Sprinkle equal portions on each one. Spray the tops with Pam. Finish cooking mac n' cheese in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.

There it is, indulge every once and a while — it'll make eating healthier far simpler & more enjoyable.