6 ounces (1 ½ cups) whole grain elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions (about 3 cups)
2 cups 1-inch wide cauliflower florets
1 ¼ cups Light and Crisp Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs (recipe below)
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 cups cold 1 percent low-fat milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (5 ounces)
¼ cup shredded gruyere cheese (1 ounce)
2 teaspoons mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cooking Spray

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 3 minutes less than the directions on the box. Drain. Place the cauliflower into a steamer basket fitted over a pot of boiling water, cover and steam until just tender, 5 minutes. Then, finely chop it.
In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and olive oil.

In a large saucepan whisk together the milk and flour until the flour is dissolved. Whisking constantly, bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer and until mixture thickens slightly, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cheddar cheese, gruyere, mustard, paprika, ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and cayenne. Whisk until the cheeses are melted and mixture is smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the macaroni and cauliflower and stir until well coated.

Spray an ovenproof 10-inch high-sided skillet with cooking spray and pour mixture into skillet. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture, place on a baking sheet and bake until top is browned and the cheese is bubbly, 35-40 minutes.

Makes 6 servings
Serving size: 1 ¼ cup

Per Serving:
Calories 360; Total Fat 14 g; (Sat Fat 8 g, Mono Fat 4.68 g, Poly Fat .83 g) ; Protein 20 g; Carb 40g; Fiber 5 g; Cholesterol 40 mg; Sodium 540 mg

Light-and-Crisp Whole-Wheat Bread Crumbs

4 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread (about 1 ounce each)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the bread in a food processor and process until fine crumbs form, 25 to 30 seconds. Place the crumbs on a baking sheet, spreading them evenly. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Store the bread crumbs in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 1 1/3 cups bread crumbs or 4 servings.

Serving size: 1/3 cup bread crumbs

Per Serving:
Calories 70; Total Fat 1 g; (Sat Fat 0 g, Mono Fat 0.5 g, Poly Fat 0.2 g) ; Protein 4 g; Carb 12g; Fiber 2 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 130 mg

Excellent source of Calcium, Iodine, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Protein, Riboflavin, Selenium, Vitamin C

Good source of Copper, Fiber, Folate, Iron, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Potassium, Thiamin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Zinc

Copyright 2011 Ellie Krieger All rights reserved