Skinny Broccoli Mac & Cheese

What kid doesn't have fond memories of Kraft mac & cheese? I used to love this stuff. In fact, the first time I had legitimate macaroni & cheese - you know, the homemade kind made with like, eighteen different cheeses, that's baked and all crunchy on top - I thought it was disgusting. Apparently I was a sucker for artificial fluorescent cheese powder. Anyway, I hadn't had Kraft mac & cheese in years, and Jake actually re-introduced me to the 'thick & creamy' version a few months after we started dating. I fell in love all over again.

While I still enjoy some of the good old Kraft version from time to time, I've also learned to LOVE legitimate macaroni and cheese. Which is why I've decided to share this fabulous recipe with all of you. This skinny recipe for Broccoli Mac & Cheese combines two of my favorite things - cheese (duh) and broccoli. It's also a relatively healthy version, so chow down!

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. macaroni elbows
• 2 Tbs butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 cup fat free chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups (8 oz.) reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• cooking spray

How to:

• Cook pasta & broccoli together in a large pot of salted water so the pasta is al dente (under cook for 2 minutes). Drain and set aside.
• Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large heavy skillet, melt butter. Add onion and cook over low-medium heat until onions are fragrant (~2 minutes). Add flour and whisk together until flour is golden and well combined. 
• Add milk and chicken broth and whisk together, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, whisking frequently, until the sauce becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove sauce from heat and stir in cheese. Mix well until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Add the cooked macaroni and broccoli to the sauce and mix until coated. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
• Top with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Spray top lightly with cooking spray.
• Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Broil for a few additional minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to brown.

I used 6 oz. regular elbow macaroni, and 6 oz. whole wheat/high fiber elbows. Although the recipe I worked from used fat free chicken broth and reduced fat cheddar cheese, I used regular chicken broth and extra sharp cheddar cheese. You can definitely tweak it to your preference (I'm such a sucker for all things cheese), and it will still turn out fab. 

This dish is reminiscent of my Chicken Cheddar Broccoli Bake, except it's much simpler and is perfect for all you vegetarians out there! Ironically, as Jake was eating this he said to me "this would be awesome with chicken in it." So pick your poison, readers! 

Chicken Cheddar Broccoli Bake

I'm going to start off by saying this dish is TOTALLY worth the effort. I did not plan ahead before making this dish. I ended up using almost every pan I have in my kitchen because of poor planning. SO, take my advice (see below) when preparing this delicious chicken and broccoli noodle casserole, so your experience preparing this meal goes much more smoothly than mine did!

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. egg noodles (half a bag)
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 cups chopped broccoli florets
• 1 tsp butter or margarine
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 3 Tbs flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• cooking spray
• 2 Tbs Italian-style bread crumbs
• 3 Tbs Parmesan cheese, divided

How to:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cook egg noodles so they are al dente - about 2 minutes less than the suggested cooking time. Set aside in a large bowl.
• Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. 
• Add broccoli to skillet with some salt and saute. Cover and cook over medium heat, about 3 minutes, until broccoli is softened. Set aside in the bowl with the egg noodles.
• In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add shallot to pot and cook until soft, about 2-3 minutes. 
• Add the flour and a pinch of salt, and whisk together, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes over medium-low heat.
• Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, stirring constantly until well combined over medium heat - about 30 seconds. 
• Add milk slowly and continue to whisk. Bring mixture to a boil and allow it to thicken over 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
• Add the cheddar and 1 Tbs of the Parmesan cheese. Mix well until cheese melts. Add a pinch of black pepper to season.
• Add the shredded chicken and the broccoli and noodles to the cheese sauce. Mix thoroughly so the chicken, broccoli, and noodles are evenly coated.
• Spray a casserole dish (9x12 inch or so in size) with cooking spray. Pour the chicken mixture into the casserole dish.
• Top the chicken mixture with breadcrumbs and remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until breadcrumbs have browned.

Suggestions:

• Use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to save time here. I boiled my two chicken breasts for 20-25 minutes and then shredded them. My version turned out excellent (so if you have an extra 20 min on your hands, don't hesitate to try this!), but if you're looking to save time, buy a pre-cooked clucker.
• Prep all of your ingredients ahead of time (you know, like you should always do...). Halfway through making my dish, I realized I didn't have any chicken broth in my fridge and instead had to prepare some from bouillon. So, if you have to do this, make sure you prepare it ahead of time.

I assure you, this recipe has all the flavor of a calorie-packed creamy cheese sauce, but without the calories (win!). The sauce is super light, especially since it's made with chicken broth and skim milk (and a hint of butter or margarine). The people you're feeding will have no idea this is a 'skinny' recipe, which is pretty awesome. And this is a good way to get your fam to eat their veggies and protein.

Enjoy!

The original recipe can be found here.

Broccoli and Corn Chowder

In case you haven't noticed, I love soup. All kinds. Especially cream-based soups. Maybe that's because I grew up eating New England Clam Chowder. But I digress. 

On a whim, I decided to try another recipe from my go-to soup recipe book. Seriously, that's what it's called: Soup. The recipe in the book is called Vegetable & Corn Chowder, but I didn't have all the ingredients to make it an actual "Vegetable" & Corn Chowder. Alas, my recipe for Broccoli and Corn Chowder was born - I did have lots of broccoli on hand. Which is generally the case in this household.

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 1 small onion (or half of a medium-sized onion), diced
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large potato, diced
• 2 Tbs flour
• 2 and 1/2 cups milk (I used 2 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup skim milk for no reason in particular)
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 1/2 cups broccoli florets
• 3 cups frozen corn
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• salt and pepper

How to:

• Heat some olive oil in a heavy bottom pot. Add in onion, garlic, and potatoes and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until aromatic, for 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in the flour and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Gradually stir in milk and vegetable stock. 
• Add in broccoli and corn. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. 
• Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese until it melts. 
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve and garnish with remaining cheese, if desired.

I didn't have any cheddar cheese on hand, so I used a Mexican cheese blend instead, and my soup turned out great. I was really surprised at how creamy and rich the soup tasted, considering I didn't use heavy whipping cream and/or large quantities of butter and flour. SO, if you're in the mood for a corn chowder but don't feel like spending a ton of time making a cream-based soup, this recipe is a winner. 

Enjoy!

Beef and Broccoli

Every Thursday, the large brick pathway adjacent to the building I work in fills with various vendors and food trucks, where everything from roasted peanuts to paninis are sold. I walked by all of this at exactly the wrong time today - right before I had planned on eating my lunch. The stand that caught my eye was one that was selling delicious smelling Chinese food. I forced myself to keep walking - I knew I'd regret spending close to $10 on lunch when I had a perfectly good Lean Cuisine microwave meal waiting for me in the freezer. And as soon as I took a bite of my reheated microwave lunch, I regretted passing up that Chinese food.

I decided to make my version of Chinese-style Beef and Broccoli. This dish comes together pretty quickly, so it's perfect for that work night where the last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen putting together a meal.

The original recipe can be found here.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb stir fry beef strips, cut into bite size pieces
• 3 Tbs cornstarch, divided
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbs water, divided
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• olive oil
• 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbs brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 4 cups broccoli
• 1 small onion, cut into wedges
• cooked rice (if desired)

How to:

• Combine 2 Tbs cornstarch, 2 Tbs water, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Mix until smooth.
• Add beef to this mixture and toss (I transferred the cornstarch mixture and beef to a large Ziploc bag and mixed this way).
• In a separate bowl, combine remaining water and cornstarch, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger, and mix until smooth. Set aside.
• Heat some oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat and cook beef until desired done-ness.
• Transfer beef to another container and keep warm.
• In remaining oil, stir-fry broccoli and onion for about 4-5 minutes.
• Add beef to broccoli and onion, and pour soy sauce mixture into pan.
• Cook for an additional 2-4 minutes until warmed throughout.
• Serve Beef and Broccoli over warm rice.

Take care not to overcook your beef. If you overcook it, you'll end up with chewy meat! I think the sauce to beef/broccoli ratio is just right. The crispness of the stir-fried broccoli and onion, coupled with the sweet and tangy soy sauce mixture results in a winning combination. And when served over rice - the overall texture of the dish is perfect.

Let me know what you think!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Jake is my toughest critic when it comes to the food I make. I used to think he was a picky eater, but now I realize he just likes food that tastes good. Simple as that. The first time I made this recipe, Jake had nothing but praise for me. I knew it was a keeper.

I probably make this dish at least once every 2 months. The ingredients are simple, and the end product has all of the classic Chicken Noodle Soup components. Unfortunately, I don't remember where I initially came across this recipe, but I promise if you follow my steps, you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• garlic salt
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked egg noodles
• 1 tsp dried basil 
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

How to:

• Heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken to pan and season with garlic salt (season to your liking - I generally use ~1 tsp).
• Cook chicken 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink.
• Add onion and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender.
• In pot, combine chicken broth, water, chicken, onions, and carrots. Heat to boiling, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
• Stir in broccoli, egg noodles, basil, garlic powder, and black pepper. Heat to boiling.
• Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and noodles are tender.

I love my Chicken Noodle Soup with lots of noodles. Even though you might be tempted to add more, I assure you - you don't need to! I'm interested to know what you readers love in your soup. Leave me some comments, and I hope you enjoy this recipe!