Skinny Mac and Cheese

Tonight I went to a friend's place and said I'd bring dinner. It was kind of last minute so I pretty much scrambled to come up with something. I wanted to stay healthy but knew I was feeding more than just myself so I didn't want to scare anyone away. I decided on a hearty comfort food; mac and cheese, but with a clean twist. It made a TON, but I'll probably end up freezing the leftovers. Nothing wrong with that!

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

12 oz. whole wheat pasta of your choice

12 oz. fresh or frozen broccoli florets

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup flour

2 cups fat free milk

1 cup low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil a pot of water (a large one). Once boiling, add pasta and broccoli and follow cooking directions for pasta. In the meantime, melt 2 tbsp butter in a saute pan. Add diced onions and saute for about 1 minute. Whisk in flour, and cook for another minute. Then whisk in milk and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cook for 5 minutes, and remove from heat. Add cheddar cheese, and mix well. You want the sauce to be smooth and thick. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Combine pasta, broccoli, and sauce. Grease a baking dish and pour in. Sprinkle bread crumbs and cheese on top. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Broil for 2-4 minutes until top becomes browned.

Recipe credit to: The Comfort of Cooking