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35 Healthy Comfort Food Recipes (+ Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipe)

Here's a recipe for healthy mac and cheese that's packed with protein as well as 34 other healthy comfort food recipes you'll crave!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 395 kcal
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1 8oz box Barilla Chickpea Rotini
  • 4 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup milk I used unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedge
  • 1 ½ cups reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese (more, if needed)* about 6 ounces
  • 1 handful chopped baby spinach
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add chickpea rotini pasta, return to a boil and cook for a total of 8 minutes, adding in the broccoli florets at the four minute mark. Drain pasta and broccoli.
  2. In the same large pot over low/medium heat add butter, milk, salt and pepper. Once butter has melted add in drained pasta and broccoli, spreadable cheese wedge and shredded cheese. Let cheese melt a little, about 30 seconds. Use a spoon to stir everything together until pasta is well coated with cheese, adding more cheese if needed. Add in chopped baby spinach and toss until wilted.
  3. Serve immediately with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Notes

  • I
  • used organic Irish cheddar cheese and shredded it myself. In case you were wondering, let me just confirm that real cheese is 100x better than powdered cheese or even pre-shredded cheese. Fresh is always better and shredding the cheese takes no time at all. However, you can use whatever you prefer including reduced fat cheddar cheese.
  • If you want to make this recipe vegan or dairy-free you can use vegan butter, vegan shredded cheddar cheese and 1 Tablespoon of vegan cream cheese instead of the spreadable cheese wedge.
  • Pasta: As I mentioned above, I love using legume pasta to amp up the nutrition count. That said, you can totally use whatever pasta you prefer.
  • Veggies: Not a fan of spinach and broccoli? Feel free to use other veggies!
  • Cheese: I used organic Irish cheddar cheese and shredded it myself. In case you were wondering, let me just confirm that real cheese is 100x better than powdered cheese or even pre-shredded cheese. Fresh is always better and shredding the cheese takes no time at all. However, you can use whatever you prefer including reduced fat cheddar cheese.
  • Vegan + Dairy Free: If you want to make this recipe vegan or dairy-free you can use vegan butter, vegan shredded cheddar cheese and 1 Tablespoon of vegan cream cheese instead of the spreadable cheese wedge.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1(made with reduced fat cheddar cheese) Calories 395kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 42g (14%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 38mg (13%) Sodium 354mg (15%) Fiber 10g (40%) Sugar 3g (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 395

% Daily Value*

Serving 1(made with reduced fat cheddar cheese)
Calories 395kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 42g 14%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 38mg 13%
Sodium 354mg 15%
Fiber 10g 40%
Sugar 3g 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.