Mac and Cheese is a favorite of mine. Not from a box, but homemade, with veggies (especially roasted broccoli), grated cheese and even sometimes puréed beans… I love it! It’s quick and easy and even, dare I say healthy.

I’m not a diet person. I’m not one who thinks carbs are evil and fat is bad. I’m just not. I won’t do low-carb, high-protein, low-fat, high-fat etc. I’m also not judging you if you do. My preference is to eat healthy meals that are full of good things that my body needs. I don’t understand all of the whats and why of that yet, but I’m learning. One thing I know is that our bodies need protein, they need carbs, and they need fat*.

*Please note that I don’t mean they need these things in the form of highly processed, hydrogenated, MSG-laden foods. As much as we (myself included) may think we need it… I think cravings are often mistaken for a real need for good for you foods that have the same base idea, but done in a healthy way. Ie. craving french fries: maybe what you really need are good fats.

I eat bacon and I love it! But I don’t eat it every day. I eat French Fries, sometimes fast food ones (the ones from Chick-fil-A are my favorites), but not for every meal. I mentioned in a recent post that I’d eaten at Fudruckers, because I want you to know that I think it’s OK to do that. The key for me is that it’s a treat, not the norm. My diet is full of fruits, veggies, protein, carbs, legumes, fats, greens, dairy and occasional treats. I eat well, and I enjoy it. Food is not just a necessity for life, it’s part of the joy of living. This is me. I hope you’re OK with that. And, again, I’ll stress that these are my views. We don’t have to share them to be friends. 🙂

So why all this (ranting and raving) about my non-diet? Simply to begin to explain why I consider Mac and Cheese to be healthy. Here are three more reasons: One, I’m making as much as I can from scratch (although I haven’t yet ventured to making my own pasta, but it’s on my list of things to try), so I know what’s going into our food. Two, I’m adding veggies to our dishes to bump up the nutritional value. Three, I occasionally add puréed beans to Mac and Cheese, giving it more protein.

Beans are high in protein, and are an excellent source of complex carbohydrate and fiber (which can help lower cholesterol, and helps prevent blood sugar levels from rising too quickly after a meal). They’re also a good source of folic acid. Beans are heart healthy and provide significant amounts of antioxidants, folic acid, vitamin B6, and magnesium. (1)

One cup of raw cauliflower has 476.2 percent of the RDA of vitamin K. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin C, and a very good source of fiber, potassium, phosphorus, and B vitamins. Cauliflower (along with other cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cabbage and kale) have compounds that may help prevent cancer. (1)

If you don’t have cauliflower, you could purée butternut squash, pumpkin, carrots, broccoli, spinach, kale, peas, turnip… you get the picture. (If you have picky kids or other family members, you may want to opt for something cheese colored, if hiding the goodness is necessary… you could save the butternut squash, carrots, or pumpkin for when you’re using orange cheddar cheese. :))

You could just have this dish as is, or you could top it with toasted bread crumbs, roasted broccoli, cracker crumbs, croutons… bacon :)).

Healthy Mac and Cheese

Last modified on 2012-05-26 01:13:42 GMT. 1 comment. Top.

Sources: (1) Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, 2005, Murray, Michael N.D., Pizzorno, Joseph N.D., and Pizzorno, Lara.