The Vegetarian Comfort Food!

Are you a fan of one of America’s favorite comfort food, Mac & Cheese?

It’s beloved by millions, but many are concerned about the calories.

The Calories?
Yes, from the pasta noodles to the cheeses, it can be a high calorie
bomb that many tend to shy away from and if you pass on eating
it for this reason, there’s some good news.

The good news?
Yes, you can now have Mac & Cheese, but as long as it’s made
with this vegetable and 1/2 of the pasta.
The vegetable:
Cauliflower!

It’s (cauliflower)become a great low calorie stand-in for a number of
foods like mashed potatoes, pizza (the crust) and even tater tots
and if you enjoy Mac & cheese and want an alternative low-cal
version of it, this is it.

And lastly, in addition to eating this delectable dish on a cold Winter
night, it (the dish) will also help you improve your memory.

That’s right- Cauliflower not only allows you to continue to indulge
in a number of your favorite comfort foods, it can also improve
your memory.

How?
Compounds in cauliflower called glucosinolates, kick-start the
production of memory-enhancing brain chemicals. Plus, these
compounds also boost the production of energizing brain
chemicals that can restore your get-up-and go for 2 to 3 hours.

The Recipe:
Pumpkin, Cauliflower Mac & Cheese!
Ingredients:
8 oz. of rotini pasta, 1/2 the box
1 can of pumpkin, (15oz.) *
1 package of frozen cauliflower florets, thawed and drained
1 1/2 cups of Gouda cheese*
2 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup of roughly chopped fresh parsley
To make:
Turn the oven on to 400*F. Coat a 2 qt. baking dish
with cooking spray (Pam). Cook pasta according to directions on the box
and save 1 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Drain pasta; return to the pot.
Toss pasta with pumpkin and reserved pasta liquid; stir in cauliflower, 1 cup
of cheese and scallions, Transfer to the baking dish. Top with remaining cheese
and bake until heated through, about 20 mins. Top with chopped parsley.
Calories per serving, 410, 55 g of carbs and 7 g of fiber.
* Pumpkin- you can now find canned pumpkin in a number of stores
at low prices, so stock up and keep it in your food pantry.
* Gouda Cheese- Nutty Gouda complements the sweetness of pumpkin in this
stick-to-your-ribs vegetarian dish that only takes 20 mins. to prepare.

Good Luck, Good Eating and Good Health!

Sources:
* Comfort Food Magazine
* A Taste of Home, Magazine
* Journal of Clinical Nutrition
* Vegan Times, Magazine
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