Okay, so, I’ve been trying to up my protein game lately, but let’s be honest, who wants to eat boring, dry chicken breast all the time? Not me. I love pasta, especially mac and cheese, it’s like my ultimate comfort food. But, you know, it’s not exactly known for being a protein powerhouse. So, I thought, why not try to make a high-protein version? That’s how I started this little experiment.
First, I grabbed some regular elbow macaroni, nothing fancy. I cooked it up like usual, just boiled it in some water until it was al dente. While the pasta was doing its thing, I moved on to the sauce.
Now, this is where the magic happens. Instead of just regular milk and cheese, I decided to use cottage cheese as the base. Yeah, cottage cheese. I know, it sounds a bit weird, but trust me on this. I dumped a whole container of low-fat cottage cheese into my blender. I added a good amount of shredded cheddar cheese to it. It’s mac and cheese after all, so cheddar is a must.
The Blending Begins
I blended the heck out of that cottage cheese and cheddar mixture. I wanted it to be super smooth, like, no lumps whatsoever. It took a few minutes, but it eventually turned into this creamy, cheesy goodness. It was kind of like a thick sauce already.
Spicing it up
Of course, I couldn’t just leave it at that. I added some salt, pepper. It’s pretty basic, but you can totally experiment with other spices too. I’ve heard of people adding garlic powder or onion powder, which sounds pretty good.
Combining Everything
Once the pasta was cooked and drained, I poured that cheesy cottage cheese sauce all over it. I gave it a good stir, making sure every single piece of macaroni was coated in that sauce.
Honestly, it looked pretty darn good at this point. I tasted it, and it was surprisingly delicious! The cottage cheese added this kind of tangy flavor that I actually really liked. And of course, the cheddar made it taste like, well, mac and cheese.
- Pasta: Just regular elbow macaroni.
- Sauce Base: Low-fat cottage cheese.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar.
- Seasoning: Salt, pepper.
I’ve made this a few times now, and I’m still amazed at how easy it is to make high-protein mac and cheese. It’s cheesy, it’s creamy, and it’s packed with protein. What more could you ask for?
I’ve been eating this for lunch or dinner, and it’s been a game-changer. I feel full and satisfied, and I know I’m getting a good dose of protein. If you’re looking for a way to make your mac and cheese a bit healthier, give this a try. You might be surprised at how much you like it!
