MATTY B'S "MAC AND C"

Macaroni and Cheese whilst your watching your waistline? Not possible I hear you cry! Well stop your outrage immediately as I have the perfect recipe for you if you just can't live without that rich, gooey, creamy classic. Obviously it's not 100% fat and calorie free but as a dish served on a Friday as a treat for your hard graft during the week, it definitely 100% guilt free!. You can enjoy it without worrying about what the scales are going to say on your next weigh in day (just don't eat it every night OK!).

It's all about trying to replace what you lose taste wise with cutting out the cream,butter and milk of a classic recipe and replacing it with any other complimentary flavors you can. The best way I found to do this is by using a flavored cheese such as a smoked cheese or as I have this time around, a cheese infused with Scotch bonnet chili pieces to add a kick of spice to the dish. Take a look at the deli counter in your local supermarket, see what's on offer and try and find the most exciting cheese flavors to add to your dish. A mild cheese is definitely a flavor no-no for this recipe, you want something with a bit of oomph.

The pasta does not need to be traditional macaroni either - you can use any pasta you have in your cupboard at the time. Just make sure you weigh out the correct portions of pasta per person (my recipe serves 2!). It can be very easy to just throw in tonnes of pasta but this is where you fall into the trap of adding in extra calories without thinking about it! 

So here's how you do it. Give it a whirl today and enjoy this healthier take on Mac and Cheese as part of your journey to a brand new you!

Macaroni And Cheese

 150g Macaroni

1 Small Diced Red Onion

5 Diced Mushrooms

10 Halved Cherry Tomatoes

4 Tbsp Creme Fraiche

150g Your Choice Of Grated Cheese

 Pepper To Season

Handfull Of Breadcrumbs

1. Cook your Macaroni as per the packet instructions. Once done, drain and leave to cool and turn up your oven to 180 degrees (160 fan).
2. In a lightly oiled pan on a medium heat, throw in your chopped onions and mushrooms and fry until the onions are starting to go soft
3. Throw in the tomatoes and fry for a further 1 minutes before adding in the pasta and mixing everything together for another minute.
4. Spoon in the creme fraiche and the cheese and mix everything together until all the cheese has melted and the pasta is well coated in the cheesy creme fraiche mixture. Season everything with some cracked black pepper before transferring over to an oven proof dish. 
5. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and place in the oven for around 25 minutes until the breadcrumbs are crisp and golden and the cheesy creme fraiche is bubbling underneath.

You now have a yummy low(er) cal macaroni and cheese that you can dish up and dive straight into. Add some more vegetables if you like such as carrots or courgettes or if you like your meaty bits, chop up some lean smoky bacon and throw in when your frying the onions for an added burst of flavor. Feeling naughty? Throw in some extra cheese with a smidge more creme fraiche for a thicker sauce, but only if no one is looking! This recipe goes to show that you can still eat healthy, shift a few pounds and still eat your  favorite dinner time treats. It doesn't really get much better than that!