Baked Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese is delicious- but it can also be incredibly bad for you. So today, I have a healthy baked version for you to try. I served it the other night with some pork loin and it was fantastic- I love the breaded top. I also made sure to not tell anyone it was healthy until after they'd tried it- my husband liked it so much he finished off the leftovers as well. Always a good sign. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4.5 cups (12oz) uncooked penne pasta
• 1 (12oz) carton 2% low- fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup (2oz) finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup (2oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat- leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; place in a large bowl.

Place cottage cheese in food processor; process until smooth. Combine cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Add the cheese mixture to pasta, and stir well. Spoon mixture into an 11x7- inch glass or ceramic baking dish (or whatever you have) coated with cooking spray.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, panko, and parsley in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Preheat broiler (do not remove dish from oven). Broil pasta 1 minute or until top browns.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Cooking Light