Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, so creating a high protein low carb mac and cheese was an absolute must for our family! Simple hacks can up the staying power, increase the resistant starch to help maintain healthy BG levels, and keep all the cheesy goodness!
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Mac and Cheese as a “vegetable”
There’s a joke on shirts and billboards in the South: “macaroni and cheese IS a vegetable.” On menus throughout the South, green beans, broccoli, and carrots share menu space with macaroni and cheese. Plus, every family potluck or reunion contains at least three different versions of that famous dish.
My grandmother made a baked macaroni and cheese that the adults always loved, even when all the cousins still wanted the blue box, pre-packaged variety. Her recipe was gifted to me when I got married in a recipe book that she and my mother put together. So, when I began to search for a recipe to adapt, there was no question as to the recipe I would choose!
In addition, whether it comes from the microwave, a blue or yellow box, or a family recipe, picky eaters around the world can usually find something they like in the cheesy, noodle goodness. So, we decided to create this as a staple recipe to take to family gatherings and social occasions. Having this recipe on hand allowed Milly to enjoy a traditional favorite without the worry caused by an unknown recipe.
Plus, by creating another familiar food that she knew how to dose for and manage, we added a fan favorite to her rotation. At a youth gathering, one of the girls without diabetic worries asked me to always bring Mac and Cheese to every function until she graduated!
Why high protein AND low carb mac and cheese?
Because the combination is magical for Milly’s levels! High protein ingredients not only help keep BG numbers stable, but they also make you feel more full. In addition, adding an extra protein easily transforms this traditional side dish into a showstopper main course like Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese. Once we pulled out my grandmother’s recipe and adapted it, we began to tweak it even more by adding additional ingredients like chicken or pulled pork. We served a salad or steamed broccoli on the side, and a Friday night favorite was born.
The low carb part of mac and cheese was a necessity. Since Milly tends to trend toward hyperglycemia, any carb count that could be easily lowered became a project for me. Initially, it was to allow her to use a smaller bolus for food when MDI. Even after she got a pump, we kept it in rotation because we liked it, and it was just plain healthier than regular Mac and cheese. Sometimes we switched out the pasta for a chickpea or lentil based variety with great results. Other pastas were pre-cooked and cooled to help create resistant starch and assist in smoother BG levels.
1. Serve as an easy, one pot meal
After cooking and cooling the pasta you choose, everything else comes together quickly in one large pot on the stove. You can serve it straight from the pot on the stove onto a plate or a comforting bowl. Serving it without baking it keeps the creamy, shells and cheese texture much like the versions you can purchase at the grocery store.
2. Top with extra cheese and bake
After spraying a 9×13 pan with cooking spray, this dish can be transformed. Add the basic recipe to the dish and top with additional cheese. Pop it in an oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cheese on top browns to your desired level. More color means more crunch, so cook according to your preference. The extra cheese adds a yummy, crunchy cheese layer on top of the creamy texture underneath.
Either option is a crowd pleaser! If you check the date on this post, it is December 24th. Why is that important, you ask? Because I just made three batches of this same recipe for family Christmas gatherings! Have I mentioned that it is a family favorite?
Mealtime Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- 9 x 13 casserole dish
- 3 or 4 qt pot
- measuring spoon set
- measuring cup set
- strainer to drain pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 10 oz Easy Melt Cheese (processed cheese) approximately 1/3 of a block
- 1 cup Cheddar, divided 1/2 cup melted in sauce, 1/2 cup sprinkled on top
- 3/4 cup Cottage cheese
- 3/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt non-fat
- 1 tbsp Yellow mustard
- 1/2 tsp Hot sauce
- 1/4 tsp Salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp Pepper or to taste
- 16 oz Elbow pasta, uncooked
Instructions
Pasta
- Cook pasta following directions on the box until it is al dente (softened but slightly firm instead of mushy16 oz Elbow pasta, uncooked
- Drain pasta in strainer and rinse pasta until it cool
- Refrigerate pasta overnight or until completely cooled (around 1-2 hours)
Cheese Sauce
- Melt butter in the pot used to cook the pasta2 tbsp Butter
- Combine easy melt cheese, cheddar, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt. Stir until melted together10 oz Easy Melt Cheese (processed cheese), 3/4 cup Cottage cheese, 3/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt non-fat, 1 cup Cheddar, divided
- Add seasonings to the melted cheese sauce1 tbsp Yellow mustard, 1/2 tsp Hot sauce, 1/2 tsp Pepper, 1/4 tsp Salt
- Mix cooled and drained pasta into cheese sauce and stir until fully combined
Options
- OPTION 1- Mix remaining cheese into the pot and adjust seasonings before serving1 cup Cheddar, divided
- OPTION 2 – Spray 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray and pour macaroni and cheese into the dish. Cover with the remaining cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until it reaches desired level of browning.1 cup Cheddar, divided
Very good!
Glad you enjoyed it! Check out our other recipes for more ideas!