The key to good mac and cheese is gooey cheese and the perfect creamy sauce. Here, I’ve simplified things to create this twist on a classic. Instead of thickening cream or milk, I grabbed a natural cheese sauce, then simply added a Mexican cheese blend to give it that must-have gooeyness.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　7 ounces (about 2 cups) uncooked fiber-enriched or protein-enriched elbow macaroni (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste)

　　1/2 cup salsa con queso, all-natural if possible

　　1 1/2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend (I used Sargento)

　　

Step 1

In a large nonstick stockpot, cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain it well, then return it to the pot. Stir in the salsa con queso and cheese until combined (if the cheese doesn’t melt right away, place the pot over low heat and stir for 1 minute, or until the cheese is melted). Serve immediately.

　　

nutrition information

Step 2

Each (about 1-cup) serving has:

　　

Step 3

Calories: 243

　　

Step 4

Protein: 9g

　　

Step 5

Carbohydrates: 41g

　　

Step 6

Fat: 7g

　　

Step 7

Saturated Fat: 2g

　　

Step 8

Cholesterol: 10mg

　　

Step 9

Fiber: 5g

　　

Step 10

Sodium: 324mg

　　Reprinted with permission from I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening! by Devin Alexander. Copyright © 2010 Devin Alexander. Published by Clarkson Potter Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Devin Alexander is the author of The Most Decadent Diet Ever, Fast Food Fix, and coauthor of The New York Times bestsellers The Biggest Loser Cookbook and The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. She was a chef on NBC's The Biggest Loser and the host of Healthy Decadence on Discover Health and FitTV.