f O
O
d
G O O D A N D H E A L T H Y
4 . A d d m o r e
c r u n c h . A f t e r
d is h in g
u p s e r v in g s , to p
w it h a p p le
s lic e s . G o ld e n
D e lic io u s ,
G r a n n y S m it h , o r
a n y o t h e r v a r ie t y
a r e a ll g o o d . F o r
m a x im u m
n u t r it io n le a v e
t h e p e e l o n . iffi
{ spotlight on }
whole
am
M ACARON I A N D C H E E S E
L ookin g beyo n d cheddar? C onsider
p a rt-sk im m ozzarella, g o a t cheese, or
low -fat p e p p e r Jack.
START TO FINISH: 35 MIN.
7
oz. dried m ultigrain o r w hole
grain rotini pasta (1/
2
cups)
Nonstick cooking spray
1/
2
cups broccoli florets, finely
chopped carrots, o r green
beans, cu t in /
2
-inch pieces
/
4
cup finely chopped onion
4
tsp. olive oil
1
6.5-oz. pkg. light sem isoft cheese
w ith garlic and herb
i
2
/
3
cups fat-free milk
1
Tbsp. all-purpose flo ur
1
/
2
cup reduced-fat shredded
chedd ar cheese (2 oz.)
2
oz. Asiago, Gruyère, or
M anchego cheese, shredded
(
1
2
3
4
/
2
cu p )
1
/
2
cup crum bled w hole w heat
baguette o r panko (Japanese-
style bread crum bs)
Flat-leaf parsley o r oregano
1
. H e a t ove n to 425°F. In a m e d iu m
saucepan c o o k th e pasta a c c o rd in g to
package d ire c tio n s . A d d b ro c c o li,
ca rro ts, o r beans d u rin g la s t 3 m in u te s
o f c o o k in g . D ra in pasta m ix tu re .
R e tu rn to pan; keep w a rm .
2
. M e a n w h ile , in larg e saucepan co o k
o n io n in
2
tsp. o f th e o il o v e r m e d iu m
h e a t fo r 5 m in u te s o r u n til ten der,
s tirrin g occa sio nally. R em ove p a n fro m
heat. A d d s e m is o ft cheese; s tir u n til
cheese is m e lte d a n d co m b in e d .
3
. In a m e d iu m b o w l w h is k to g e th e r
m ilk an d flo u r u n til sm o o th . A d d a ll at
on ce to o n io n m ix tu re . C o o k a n d s tir
o v e r m e d iu m h e a t u n til th ic k e n e d and
bu b b ly. R educe h e a t to lo w . S tir in
c h e d d a r a n d A siago cheeses u n til
cheeses are m e lte d . A d d c o o ke d pasta
m ix tu re ; s tir to coat.
4
. T ra n s fe r p a sta m ix tu re to 2 -q u a rt
casserole. In s m a ll b o w l c o m b in e
b a g u e tte c ru m b le s a n d re m a in in g
2
tsp. o il; s p rin k le o n p a sta m ix tu re .
B ake, u n c o v e re d , 10 to 15 m in u te s o r
u n til to p is b ro w n e d . S p rin k le w ith
parsley. SERVES
6
.
EACH SERVING
332 cal, 15 g fa t (7 g sat.
fa t), 39 m g chol, 455 m g sodium , 34 g
carbo, 3 g fiber, 17 g pro.
B E T T E R N U T R IT IO N
It m ay sound like a carb lo ver’s
dream , b ut sw itching to w hole
grain pasta puts a crim p on w eight
gain, b ecause it takes less to
m ake yo u feel full. Eating w h o le
grains also cuts th e risk o f heart
disease and d iabetes up to 25
p ercent, says Len M arq u art,
Ph.D., R.D., o f th e U n iversity of
M innesota. C om p ared to plain
pasta, w h o le grain pastas are
loaded w ith fiber, protein,
vitam ins, and m inerals— all of
w h ich help cu t disease risk.
O P T IO N S F O R A L L Peo p le on
gluten-free o r low -glycem ic diets
can enjoy w h o le grain pasta.
"G lu ten -free d oesn’t m ean
giving up grains," says K erry
Neville, Sea ttle spokesperson
fo r th e A m erican D ietetic
A ssociation. "T h e re are m any
gluten-free w h o le grains:
aram anth, b uckw heat, m illet,
quinoa, teff, and sorghum ." Find
details on healthful pastas at
dreamfieldsfoods.com
o r
barillaus.com.
Fo r m o re recipes,
visit
BHG.com/mac.
B E T T E R T A S T E N e w m ilder-
tasting varieties of w hole w h eat
and o th er grains, such as barley,
give pasta a delicious flavor.
Refined m ethods of processing
w hole grains into fine flo ur have
created a m ore ten d er texture.
“ W
h
e n
b u y i n g w
h o l e g r a i n p a s t a ,
c h e c k t h e n u t r i t i o n l a b e l a n d l o o k f o r
a t l e a s t 3 g r a m
s o f f i b e r p e r s e r v i n g . ”
— LAURA MARZEN, R.D.,
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
TEST KITCHEN NUTRITION EXPERT
M A C ’ N ’ C H EESE C H A N G E -U P S
1.
F o r a fu lly -
lo a d e d , p ro te in -
p a c k e d v e r s io n ,
in to t h e b a s ic
r e c ip e s t ir 1 c u p
c h o p p e d c o o k e d
c h ic k e n o r 1 c u p
s m o k e d Ita lia n
t u r k e y s a u s a g e .
2 . A p p e a l t o
g ro w n - u p t a s t e s
b y u s in g s m o k e d
c h e d d a r o r
s m o k e d G o u d a
in s te a d o f t h e
A s ia g o , G r u y è r e ,
o r M a n c h e g o
c h e e s e .
3 .
S t ir in
S o u th w e s te r n
fla v o r w ith 1 c u p
rin s e d , d ra in e d
c a n n e d b la c k
b e a n s an d /4 ts p .
h a b a n e r o s a u c e
o r b o ttle d h o t
p e p p e r s a u c e .
B e f o r e s e rv in g ,
s p r in k le w it h
fr e s h s n ip p e d
c ila n tr o .
188
MARCH 2010 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
