Healthy Lentil Pasta Mac and Cheese (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 (8.8 oz) package Barilla Red Lentil Rotini Pasta, see shopping tips
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat butter or Smart Balance Light
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or leave out if you don’t want it a little spicy
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon reduced-fat milk
- 1¼ cups low fat cottage cheese or part skim ricotta cheese
- 1 cup light cheese such as Mozzarella, cheddar or a blend of cheeses, shredded
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, defrosted, see prep tips
- ¼ cup light shredded cheese such as Mozzarella, cheddar or a blend of cheeses
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cook red lentil pasta according to package instructions but don’t overcook. I cooked it for 7 minutes. Drain. Set aside.
- To make cheese sauce: In a large nonstick pan, melt butter. Using a whisk, mix in dry mustard powder and cayenne pepper. Whisk in milk, cottage cheese and shredded cheese. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.
- Stir in cheese sauce the cooked red lentil pasta and defrosted peas/carrots. Mix everything together well. Add to baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle all over top with ¼ cup shredded cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes, until the cheeses are melted.
- Cool slightly and cut into 6 servings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 21gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 325mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gBlue Smart Points: 5Green Smart Points: 5Plus Points: 7