Cheesy Mac & Greens
Servings: Makes: 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 16 ounces macaroni elbows (whole wheat if preferred)
- 12 ounces baby spinach leaves, lightly torn
- 2 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add in the macaroni and cook until just al dente.
- While the pasta is boiling, lightly tear the spinach leaves into smaller pieces and place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Place the eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper in the base of a blender and puree until the cottage cheese is creamy and no lumps remain. Add in 2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese and pulse until just combined.
- Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain then immediately add the pasta to the bowl with the torn spinach. The heat of the pasta should heat the spinach until it’s just wilted. Don’t worry if it doesn’t completely wilt, it will after cooking. Add in the puréed cheese sauce and toss until combined.
- Pour the mixture into the lightly greased casserole dish, then cover with foil. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, for another 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and melted. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, then serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.