Recipe: Creamy Mac and Alfredo

This recipe uses whole-wheat pasta and a light Alfredo sauce to save you major calories and time in the kitchen. The cottage cheese, spinach and low-fat mozzarella come together for a warm, delicious, cheesy meal your kids will ask for again and again. Plus, it sneaks in a serving of a green superfood: spinach!

Recipe: Creamy Mac and Alfredo

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: Heaping 1½ cups

Ingredients

• 12 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 (14.5-ounce) jar light Alfredo sauce
• ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
• ½ cup fat-free milk
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• ½ cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the Alfredo sauce, cottage cheese, milk, egg whites, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sir in the spinach to combine.
4. Gently fold in the cooked pasta into the Alfredo mixture until evenly covered.
5. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top.
6. Bake uncovered until the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition Information
Per Serving (Heaping 1½ cups):
Calories: 310
Fat: 8g
Carbohydrates: 47g
Fiber: 7g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 17g
WWP+: 9
SmartPoints: 9

3.1The nutrition content of recipes on Popculture.com have been calculated by Registered Dietitian, Jessica Penner, of Smart Nutrition.