Healthy Alternative to Macaroni & Cheese and Broccoli & Cheese Casserole

We have always been big fans of macaroni and cheese. However, most recipes and restaurants load them with all kinds of delicious items like butter, cups upon cups of cheese, and sometimes even cream (if the cook is wanting to be an over-achiever or something). Since we don’t eat those, we had to find another alternative that tastes similar without all of the added calories and fat. I think that we found a compromising solution! Justin and I have gotten to where we actually quite enjoy cauliflower (as long as we steam it fresh every time we eat it). If you cook it and then don’t eat it for a few days, the taste can get a bit “farty” as we like to put it. It also has kind of a starchy, potato or noodle-like texture once it has been steamed properly. In addition to that I have always liked broccoli, so I thought that I could make a healthier alternative to a broccoli and cheese casserole as well. Below is the recipe for our faux Mac & Cheese or faux Broccoli & Cheese Casserole. Keep in mind that this recipe is meant for an either vegetable (or both) depending on your daily caloric intake and personal preferences. For us 1 cup of vegetables and 1 cheese stick is a serving. My husband was feeling like cauliflower that night, whereas I was feeling like broccoli. Thus, I decided to make each kind. At the bottom of the page you will find the nutritional information.

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower
1 head of broccoli
black pepper to taste
red cayenne pepper or chipotle pepper (our favorite) to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
2 double cheddar 90 calorie cheese sticks

Directions:

Preheat a steamer on the stove over high heat. Take the head of cauliflower and chop it up into little florets. You should discard the stem on the bottom. Keep in mind that cauliflower is pretty flaky and tends to break off into tiny little bits. It makes more of a mess than those foam peanuts you used to get in packaging! If using the broccoli, take a head of it and chop into small florets as well.

Next, take one cup each of vegetables and and rinse them under cold water. Put each cup into separate plastic sandwich bags. Add the red cayenne pepper or chipotle pepper, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to preferred taste. Shake the bags vigorously like it was a shake and bake. The slightly wet vegetables will allow for the spices to stick without having used any oil. The bags just help to evenly spread the seasoning. Place the leftover cauliflower and broccoli in a storage container or plastic bag for future use.

Toss the vegetables (either together or separately depending on personal choice or what you are using) into the steamer. Cover and allow to cook for about 7-10 minutes or until the cauliflower and broccoli have softened.

While the vegetables are steaming, take out the double cheddar 90 calorie cheese sticks. Shred each stick and set aside.

Preheat the oven to Broil. Once the cauliflower and/or broccoli are done steaming, place each serving on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Broil for 30 seconds to 1 minute depending on how melted you like your cheese.

It’s ready to eat! Whether you are in the mood for mac & cheese or a broccoli casserole, both of these can provide a healthier option while allowing the same flavor palate from the old recipes. Like I said above, you could choose one or the other, or even have both together for a nice and healthy treat! Below is the serving size and nutritional information.

Serving Size and Nutritional Information: One serving is one cup of either cauliflower or broccoli and 1 90 calorie cheese stick. If you have the “mac & cheese” it is 115 calories and 8 grams of protein. If you have the “broccoli casserole,” it is 120 calories and 8 grams of protein.

Here is a breakdown of each item: