Lean Paula Deen: The Lady's Cheesy Mac

Who doesn't like mac n'cheese? I have yet to meet a person that doesn't appreciate a dish of pasta smothered in cheese! If they don't, it's probably not the taste they dislike, but it's the nutritional facts they aren't to keen on . If that sounds like you, then you might enjoy my healthy version of this once high-carb, high-fat, high-everything, yummy-in-your-tummy, make you feel good, "Queen of Comfort Foods"...macaroni and cheese!

THE ORIGINAL:
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, or equivalent in evaporated milk


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After the macaroni has been boiled and drained, add Cheddar cheese while macaroni is still hot. Combine remaining ingredients and add to macaroni mixture. Pour into casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese, if desired.


MY HEALTHY TWIST:
4 cups cooked Whole Wheat elbow macaroni, drained
1 16 oz container of 1% Cottage Cheese
4 Egg Whites, beaten
1/2 cup Fat Free Sour Cream
NO BUTTER
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup 1% milk
16 oz 2% Velveeta cheese (cut into pieces)


Follow the cooking directions for the original recipe, mixing all the ingredients with the "still-hot" pasta. If you choose, you can top the dish off with some 2% Cheddar cheese before popping it in the oven.


I love this dish! You can easily make it a meal by mixing in diced cooked chicken and broccoli. A comfort food that your health-conscious self can feel comfortable eating. ENJOY!!

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving): 385 calories;  10g fat;  41g carbohydrate;  36g protein;  3.5g fiber

Lean Paula Deen: Better Than Sex? Yes! Cake

My first attempt at a southern inspired dessert recipe was nothing less than "sweet success." Paula Deen's Better Than Sex? Yes! Cake is another great treat taken from the Lady and Son's Cookbook. With my easy modifications to this once sinful sweet-treat, you can now truly "have your cake and eat it too."

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 small can of sweetened condensed milk (Fat Free)
1 jar of caramel topping
4-6 fun size candy bars (Twix were delicious!)
1 container of Fat Free Cool Whip

Optional: Vanilla Frozen Yogurt or Edy's Slow Churned Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Directions:

Prepare the cake according to the box directions, but you will need to make the following substitutions to make it lower in fat.

* Use 4 egg whites in place of 3 whole eggs
* Substitute apple sauce for oil; use the same measurement

- Once the cake has baked, poke it with tooth picks all over the surface. Make sure the tooth pick reaches through to the bottom or very close to it. You want the milk and caramel to be able to soak throughout the cake.

- Poor the milk completely over the cake, then the caramel.

- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

To Serve:

- Top the cake piece with a scoop of Cool Whip, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

-Sprinkle with crushed candy bar.

-ENJOY!!!

Lean Paula Deen: Cheeseburger Meatloaf and Sauce

In this wonderful dish, Paula Deen meets Jimmy Buffett to create a "Cheeseburger Meatloaf in Paradise!" It is a wonderful, hearty recipe that is sure to please any man sitting around your dinner table. However, it is light enough for ladies to enjoy as well...just as long as you follow my healthy suggestions.


The Original Recipe
(Serves 6 to 8)


2 pounds ground beef
2 teaspoons House Seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
8 to 10 slices of white bread


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Mix all the ingredients together, except for the bread. Shape into a loaf and place on a 1-inch-deep jelly roll pan lined with the bread slices. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. The bread absorbs the grease and should be discarded after loaf is removed from the oven.


Sauce


One 10-3/4 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 soup-can measure of milk
1-1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese


Heat soup and milk over medium heat; add cheese. Pour over meat loaf or pass at the table.


My Healthy Suggestions


* Buy the leanest ground beef. For this recipe, I used 90/10. You could try turkey meat, but I personally feel that ground beef tastes best in the recipe.


* Use 2% Cheddar cheese


* Fat Free or Light sour cream

* Reduced Fat Ritz crackers

* Buy Campbell's 98% Fat Free cream of mushroom

* Use Skim or 1% Milk in the sauce

This dish was great! Give it a try and see what you think. I would love to hear how your "Cheeseburger Meatloaf in Paradise" turned out. ENJOY!

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving):  480 calories;  17g fat;  35g carbohydrate;  46g protein;  1g fiber