Mac & Cheese Mugs

There's a quote from Thomas Edison when asked about his invention of the lightbulb... it goes something like this:

"I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb."

Well, my experiments in the kitchen were kind of similar. Except I did not fail 3 times. I just successfully discovered 3 ways how NOT to make Mac & Cheese in the microwave.

The first time through, I followed the recipe I found, but used Weight Watchers Mexican blend cheese and used 1/4 cup milk as suggested. Not only was water all over my microwave during cooking, but the consistency was way off, making it taste like pasta with cheese difficult to chew. I present to you Exhibit A off to the right (photos of the overflowing microwave not pictured)... FAIL. 

So then I mixed things up a bit for my dad's portion, still keeping with the mug concept. Water still went everywhere, but this time when it all spilled over, I just went with it. When the pasta was fully cooked, I added only a SPLASH of milk (think 1/8 cup) and stirred in the real deal of cheddar cheese, not re-microwaving it. I present to you Exhibit B off to the left... PASS on presentation, SEMI-FAIL on nutrition (see below... it was full of fat... and not the good kind).

Then it came time to make my mom's mug of mac and cheese. By this point, I was frustrated having to sop up so much water from the microwave, so I actually went ahead and grabbed a bowl and microwaved hers as normal. When the pasta was cooked (or when I thought it looked done), I poured the noodles into a mug to match the others. Again, I added a splash of milk, and this time used Parmesan cheese, not only in the hopes that it would not coagulate like my first attempt, but also to help lessen the amount of points within the dish. This one actually came out fairly well (I think... my mom was the real judge). I present to you Exhibit C off to the right... SEMI-FAIL on preparation by cooking it in a bowl and not a mug, but PASS on presentation and PASS on nutrition, so overall? WIN!

Yes, I know what you're thinking... why not just whip up some Easy Mac? It has EASY in its name, right? True, and for a lunch at work I might agree. But let's compare some nutritional values, shall we?

LOSER: Velveeta Mac & Cheese: 650 mg sodium, 31 carbs, 1 fiber, 10% calcium 

WINNER: My Parmesan Mac & Cheese Mug: 133 mg sodium, 22 carbs, 3 fiber, 13% calcium

CREDIT

And yes, I also know what you're thinking... if you made the third mug in a bowl, why didn't you keep it in it? Well, this is actually a bit of developmental psychology (yeah, you heard me)... while adults eventually outgrow their childhood concrete thinking, they will still always think the taller bowl has "more" (see right). No one wants to look at their large bowl of macaroni and cheese, frown, and think... "Well that's not fair, Joey has more than me!" That's just no fun. But pour that same amount of pasta into a tall mug and voila! Your perceived amount of pasta has magically increased! How's that for combining psychology and cooking for ya? So next time, use the smaller plate or bowl for the same portion size... you'll end up perceiving that you are eating more, but will end up eating less (read: the correct portion) in reality. Cool trick, huh?

"This is good stuff, kids!"

Alright, so hypothetical quotes from Thomas Edison and psychology concepts aside, this dish was pretty good. Even Piaget would agree.

MAC & CHEESE MUGS

Servings: 1

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 4+ using Parmesan cheese, 6+ using Cheddar cheese

Note: Nutritional values with 1 TBSP Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup Sharp Cheddar, respectively

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Whole Wheat Penne Pasta (about 1/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/8 cup (2 TBSP) milk
• Optional Cheeses: 
• 1/4 cup Shredded cheese
• 1/3 cup other cheese
• 1 TBSP Parmesan cheese (your choice)

Directions:

1. If you want the pasta to cook faster and don't mind cleaning up a bit of a spill, then add pasta and water to a large mug. Otherwise, just make things easier on yourself and cook it in a bowl and transfer the pasta for presentation later.
2. Cook pasta in 1-2 minute intervals, stirring the pasta occasionally. When much of the water has evaporated (or spilled over), and the pasta is cooked, remove from the heat. If using a bowl, transfer pasta into a small mug (we want your guests/family to think they are eating more than they are).
3. Remove any remaining water and add about 1-2 TBSP milk and stir. While warm, add cheese and stir. Only put back into the microwave if you feel it is necessary.
4. Enjoy your low-sodium, homemade, and deliciously cheesy treat!

Parmesan Baked Tilapia

I'm not usually a fish person, but I'm trying to become one... so I'm starting with cod/tilapia and will hopefully some day be able to work my way up to the ever-so-healthy salmon/tuna (but with my nose and taste buds, we'll see). This meal was actually surprisingly good... I may be making another fish meal in the near future (that's really saying something about how delicious this was)!

So easy and simple to make, and not very many calories/points at all (which is why I paired them with veggies and multiple helpings of my Rainbow Cupcakes). 

Enjoy!

PARMESAN BAKED TILAPIA

Servings: 2-4

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 3+ per fillet

Ingredients:

• Tilapia filets (about 1/person)
• 2 TBSP melted butter/margarine
• 3 TBSP Parmesan cheese (or 1 TBSP/person)
• Optional: garlic powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. 
2. Heat butter in the microwave until melted.
3. In a nonstick pan, cover tilapia with a few spoonfuls of melted margarine.
4. Sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese (and garlic powder).
5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until fish flakes apart.
6. Top with a bit more Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Simple Thai Peanut Sauce

Alright, you have a vegan coming to stay with you for a few days. You've run out of  Lentil Loaf. You make...

THAI PEANUT SAUCE with noodles of course!

Yes, you can buy the pre-packaged envelopes at the grocery store. And while those may taste delicious, I have never really been one to handle super spicy foods (I'm pretty sure I would die if I actually had to eat in Thailand). So this sauce recipe is kid-friendly (read: Cooking Cadenza Chef friendly) not at all hot to the taste (that being said, if you would like to add some zest, feel free).

I was tempted to add some chicken to this dish as well, but ended up discovering that the frozen strips in our fridge may have been a bit too frost-bitten... ugh. So low-and-behold, this dish stayed as a truly vegan experience. While the chicken may have beefed-up (er, chickened-up) the recipe a bit nutrition-wise, whatever it lacked in protein was made up for by its fabulous taste.

Seriously, the picture doesn't even do this meal justice. Go make it and see for yourself.

SIMPLE THAI PEANUT SAUCE

Servings: 4

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 8+ per bowl (with 2 oz pasta, 1/4 serving sauce, veggies)
Note: Nutritional values below are for 1/4 serving of the Thai Peanut Sauce only (pasta not included)

Ingredients:

• Actual Dish:
• Barilla Plus spaghetti (8 oz for 4 people)
• Frozen peas
• Carrot chips
• 1 TBSP sesame oil
• 1 TBSP soy sauce
• Peanut Sauce:
• 1 TBSP peanut butter
• 1 TBSP sesame oil
• 1 TBSP soy sauce
• 1 TBSP brown sugar
• 2 tsp sesame seeds (1 tsp in mixture, 1 tsp to sprinkle on top)

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package instructions.
2. While water is boiling, combine all ingredients (PB, sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame seeds) to make the peanut sauce in a small bowl.
3. Next, heat oils/sauces in a pan and add veggies. Fry for a few minutes until veggies have been coated (do not cook them too long).
4. Combine spaghetti and veggies/oil into serving bowls and top with a few spoonfuls of peanut sauce (stirring throughly) and sesame seeds.
5. เริงร่า (or enjoy)!

Protein-Packed Strawberry Cheesecake Bowl

I've been trying to avoid the whole "pour myself a bowl of cereal" thing in the morning and trying to come up with some more creative options for breakfast-type foods. In my attempt to put some more protein into my diet, I created this wonderful dish... my protein-packed strawberry cheesecake bowl. Although it's still no dessert from Cheesecake Factory, I will say this is a pretty tasty treat and a wonderful start to the day. I usually pair my bowl with a cranberry almond protein bar to help bulk-up the meal, but that part isn't really necessary if you just want a small, filling snack. And with 24 g of protein (34 g with the protein bar) and a quarter of your daily value of calcium, who could go wrong?

PROTEIN-PACKED STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE BOWL

Servings: 1

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 4+ (no protein bar included), 7+ (protein bar included)
* Note: Protein bar pictured above is not included in the nutrition facts below.

Ingredients:

• 1 container Dannon Light & Fit Greek strawberry yogurt
• 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese
• Optional: fresh strawberries, cranberry almond protein bar

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir.
2. Enjoy!

English Muffin Pizzas

Cooking Cadenza doesn't just include those "fancy pants" recipes that take forever for you to make and cook. So while this dish is once again a very simple meal, sometimes all it takes is a simple reminder to mix up your usual routine with something a little different. So here's one of my favorite (easy-to-make) lunches... Enjoy! 

ENGLISH MUFFIN PIZZAS

Servings: 1

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 3+ for (Light Multigrain) English Muffin, 1+ for sauce, 2+ for cheese = 6+ total

Ingredients:

• Light multigrain English muffin
• About 1/4 cup Contadina pizza squeeze (or other sauce)
• 1/3 cup WW Mexican or Italian cheese blend

Directions:

I think these are fairly self-explanatory, but just in case there was any confusion:

1. Cut English muffin in half and coat each side with pizza sauce.
2. Cover sauce with cheese/additional toppings and zap in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds (or until cheese begins to melt).
3. Enjoy!

Tomato, Avocado, Provolone, Turkey Paninis

So here goes, my first post about my latest cooking endeavor. Last night, we kept things fairly simple and (with the help of my Nana's panini maker) had nice, homemade sandwiches for dinner. They turned out wonderfully and were quite delicious if I do say so myself. While they would probably be better on a lunch menu instead of for dinner, they were pretty quick and easy to make for a filling meal. It's not a complex recipe, either (see below)... Enjoy!

TOMATO, AVOCADO, PROVOLONE, and TURKEY PANINIS

Weight Watcher Points Plus:
Light bread, 1 cheese slice, 2 oz. turkey, 1/4 avocado, tomato = 6+
Artisan bread, 1 cheese slice, 4 oz. turkey, 1/4 avocado, tomato = 11+

* Bread may be substituted for less points to lighten the dinner, and more veggies may be added to bulk up the sandwich without adding points *

Ingredients:

• Artisan bread (or any bread of your choosing, really)
• Reduced-fat provolone cheese slices
• Low sodium deli turkey
• Avocado, sliced
• Tomato, sliced
• Optional sides: 
• Soup
• Chips
• Carrots/other vegetables
• Fruit cups
• Pickles

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients between two bread slices.

2. Put sandwich in panini maker and cook until slightly golden brown or until cheese starts to melt.

3. Garnish with a pickle, fruit, soup or any other optional side.

4. Eat and enjoy!