Macaroni and Cheese

Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com, has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya belives you should never sacrifice taste even when you're eating healthy foods. Have a recipe in need of rehab? Click here: http://www.thatsfit.com/recipe-rehab

Recipe may vary from photograph Photo: jupiterimages

Growing up, one of my favorite comfort foods was none other than macaroni and cheese. However, it usually comes with the burden of 20 grams of fat per serving. I eliminated the guilt, but not the flavor, by using low-fat milk, reduced fat cheese and a fiber-rich pasta, cutting the fat to four times less than your usual bowl. Once you try this healthier alternative, you'll never go back -- and neither will your kids!

Ingredients:

1 cup low-fat milk

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 pound Barilla Plus multigrain elbow pasta

3 Tbs breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 400 F

2. In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Lower the heat and stir in the cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese is melted and keep warm.

3. Cook pasta until tender, but firm. Drain pasta and return to its pot. Add the cheese sauce to the pasta and stir well to combine. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish or casserole and sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs.

4. Bake for 25 minutes until it bubbles, and the top is golden. Serve Immediately.

Serves 4

Nutrition Facts:

Per Serving: 410 calories, 40g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 36g protein, 5g fat, 3g sat.fat, 715mg sodium

Readers, I would love to hear from you! Please send me your most favorite fattening recipes that need a RECIPE REHAB! Everything from your mom's meatloaf to your kid's favorite dessert -- let me lighten it up.