Lauren Kelly Nutrition

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Kale and Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese {Lightened Up with Greek Yogurt}

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Your favorite, classic recipe just got a healthy makeover!  Greek yogurt adds protein without sacrificing the creaminess,  while kale adds tons of vitamins and a crunch too.

Kale and Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese made with Greek yogurt #HealthyPastaMonth

Disclaimer: I was compensated by Dreamfields Healthy Pasta to create this recipe. However, like always, the opinions are entirely my own. Promise 🙂

I love taking our favorite recipes and lightening them up while still keeping them simple and delicious.  That’s why I love Greek yogurt, it’s so incredibly versatile and so easy to substitute for higher fat creamy dishes (have you seen The Greek Yogurt Cookbook? 😉 )  This recipe is no exception.  It’s packed with flavor and lighter on fat and calories.

Did you know that October is National Pasta Month?  A whole month dedicated to one of my favorites things!  I am proud to partner with Dreamfields Pasta to share this creamy, healthier mac and cheese with you.  Why Dreamfields?  Dreamfields pasta contains a prebiotic fiber which helps promote healthy digestion as well as helping you feel full longer with 7 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.  Dreamfields is made with premium durum wheat semolina in North Dakota. That’s why it has the same delicious taste and texture of traditional pasta.  I love the texture and even passes my picky kids’ test!

Kale and Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese made with Greek yogurt #HealthyPastaMonth

I am all about keeping my recipes simple and easy.  I don’t have the time (or desire) to spend hours cooking elaborate meals for my family.  The beauty of this recipe is that Dreamfields elbows take 8 minutes to cook and that’s it.  Mix it in the rest of the ingredients, stir and eat.  I love a good, healthy, easy recipe.  I mean, what busy mom doesn’t?

Kale and Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese made with Greek yogurt #HealthyPastaMonth
5 from 8 votes
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Kale and Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese

Course main dish, vegetarian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author Lauren Kelly Nutrition

Ingredients

  • 1 box Dreamfields Elbows
  • 1 1/4 cups finely shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 6 ounces plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup 2% milk
  • 12 ounces fresh kale
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax
  • Fresh rosemary

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Return to pot; do not reheat.
  2. Immediately add Cheddar cheese, yogurt, milk and kale to pasta; stir to mix well allowing cheese to melt and kale to wilt.
  3. Sprinkle with flaxseed and Parmesan cheese. Garnish with rosemary, if desired.

Nutrition information (1/6 of recipe):  390 calories; 21 g protein; 54 g carbohydrates; 12 g total fat; 6 g saturated fat; 29 mg cholesterol; 230 mg sodium; 9 g total dietary fiber.

This is one of those dishes I can feed my kids in between driving back and forth to soccer, baseball and flag football and still have time to clean up after.  I topped off this with some ground flax seed which gave it a little more texture.  You can always add breadcrumbs if you’d like to substitute but ground flax provides extra fiber, protein and omega-3-fatty acids!

Kale and Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese made with Greek yogurt #HealthyPastaMonth

Are you feeling lucky?  We are excited to give away a family pack of Dreamfields (1 each of 7 shapes) and a $25 gift card!  Simply enter by leaving a comment telling me what the first recipe that you will make with your Dreamfields Pasta.  That’s it! Giveaway ends 12:00 p.m. EST on Thursday 10/8/15.

Please go and follow Dreamfields on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for an extra chance to win!  GIVEAWAY CLOSED! Thank you everyone that entered!

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Comments

  3. This looks fantastic, my son loves kale…as long as I bake it in the oven. We are actually making mac and cheese tonight and I might go with a broccoli/bacon mixture with Havarti. If I won this prize pack I would make some lasagna!

    Reply

  7. My first dish would be Mac and Cheese. I would use broccoli insread of kale, but I want to try using the yogurt which is a great idea.

    Reply

  9. 5 stars
    I love all the ingredients in the recipe you just put together…the Kale Mac and Cheese…this is one I will try for sure. Thanks.

    Reply

  14. Oh kale yeah! This looks delicious. If I won the first thing I would make with the pasta would be buffalo chicken macaroni because my husband has been craving mac and cheese 🙂 I followed on all social medias too!

    Reply

  20. I would make penne with roasted tomatoes, garlic and cauliflower, olive oil , herbs and shaved parmesan, it’s so yummy!

    Reply

  21. 5 stars
    This recipe looks so good! I love mac n cheese and kale, why not put them together!? Great idea! This one is my choice!

    Reply

  28. I’m trying this Mac & cheese this weekend ! My adult son’s favorite dish is Mac Cheese–he will love that I put kale in the dish to appease his healthier eating !

    Reply

  30. 5 stars
    The first thing I would make is oven-baked macaroni and cheese. There is nothing better than the golden brown cheese and gooey cheese mixture.

    Reply

  32. I would totally make this kale mac & cheese if I won! I am so thankful I came across your blog just by following Dreamfield!

    Reply

  33. OOh, I love mac and cheese, but my honey doesn’t care for it. I will be making this the next week when he doesn’t plan to make it home for dinner! I also love kale and plain greek yogurt. What a great idea to use them to make mac and cheese even better!

    Reply

  34. I am so thankful for Dreamfields Pasta! I had completely given up eating pasta because I have to restrict my carbs. Now its the only pasta I buy,and it tastes great! I will be making the yummy macN cheese w/kale tomorrow for lunch. Thanks so much for all the recipes.

    Reply

  41. First thing I’d make is our family favorite–homemade macaroni & cheese. We try different cheese combos, but I’ve never tried kale in there. Will do!

    Reply

  43. Normally I like to make stuffed pasta shells but they don’t have that type of pasta so I would make Mac N Cheese.
    cshell090869 at aol dot com

    Reply

  45. I really like kale chips and would like to include more darker greens like it in my diet, I think this would be a good recipe to start with:)

    Reply

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