Healthful Bites

Who hasn’t eaten pasta from a blue box or a bowl of my childhood favorite, Velveeta Shells and Cheese?  Well, my tastes have changed in the past ten years or so, and I can’t even remember the last time I ate Macaroni and Cheese. More than the flavor, I’m turned off by the usually heavy cream-filled sauce that is a saturated fat mine.

When I saw Fiber Gourmet reviewed online, I kept an eye out at the grocery store (it has some grocery store distribution, but you can always find their products online). I stumbled upon a box some time ago and forgot about it for a bit—that is, until last night! I whipped out the box (which is also blue) and stirred up a healthier twist on the kid’s menu favorite.

(Image from http://www.fibergourmet.com/Mac.aspx)

Fiber Gourmet’s macaroni boasts no artificial colors or flavors and they manage to pack 18 grams of fiber in each serving (three servings per box)!

The instructions are simple: boil water, add fiber-packed pasta, strain and mix in cheese mixture and 1/4 cup milk. I’m not a huge plain milk fan, so I didn’t have any around. Instead, I reserved 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water to be my liquid.

Next I heated up some frozen vegetables to for variety and extra nutrition and tossed these on top. Bon appetit!

The pasta was remarkably similar in texture to traditional pasta and the sauce, while a bit runny (could have been my water use), tasted of tangy cheddar cheese.

Here’s another great tip that this photo displays: if you want to feel as if you’re not eating a tiny amount, use a smaller bowl! Think about pouring your morning cereal into a mug compared to a bowl the size of a basketball. Which would you fill with more food?

Yummy! Looks delicious, right? Serve with a side of fresh fruit and you have a delicious, well-balanced meal!

Here’s a comparison of nutrition panels…

Fiber Gourmet Mac-mmm-Cheese

Compare with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese nutrition.