One of my most favorite things in the whole entire world is cheese sauce. Over noodles (I’d way rather have it drizzled on top of pasta than mixed together), over veggies (just about any vegetable is edible with cheese sauce and mu children agree), with tortilla chips (do I really need to explain?) My conundrum with cheese sauce is that a) I don’t love “cheese product” and b) it’s rarely healthy eating-friendly.
Well.
This sauce has made my life. I got the recipe from America’s Test Kitchen Comfort Food Makeovers, but I made a few very minor tweaks, all relating to the cheese (because, well, cheese). The original recipe called for low-fat cheddar cheese, and not too much of it. One thing I’ve found in my most recent weight-loss journey is that it is no longer 1990 and dietary fat isn’t the enemy (in most cases), not really. I’ve had much, much more success when I cut down on refined carbs and sugars and don’t worry so much about the fat. It makes our food taste good and, when paired with protein, it helps signal our brains when we’re full.
So.
I went for the full-fat cheese and I also increased it a little. It still comes in at a very respectable 125 calories–If you have 1 cup of steamed broccoli topped with 1/4 of this sauce, you’ve got a 150-calorie mid-afternoon snack.
You’re going to need chicken broth, a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper, cornstarch, a little Dijon mustard, some light cream cheese, and 1 cup (4 ounces) of freshly shredded medium or sharp cheddar. Medium or sharp because you’ll get more flavor by using less, and freshly shredded (instead of a bag of pre-shredded cheese) because they coat the shreds with a chemical that results in a weird texture when you try to melt it.
In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup chicken broth and the cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. While the broth is heating, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup broth, cornstarch, and the Dijon mustard. When it comes to a boil, add the cornstarch mixture and boil for about 1 minute or until thickened. Turn heat to low and whisk in the light cream cheese. When totally smooth, whisk in the cheddar cheese. Drizzle over steamed or roasted vegetables,
zoodles, cooked pasta, baked potatoes, or use it as a dip for chips or like fondue. Makes 4-6 servings.
Lightened-Up Cheese Sauce
Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Comfort Food Makeovers
Ingredients:
1 cup chicken broth
Small pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 ounce light (Neufchatel) cream cheese
1 cup freshly shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions:
In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup chicken broth and the cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. While the broth is heating, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup broth, cornstarch, and the Dijon mustard. When it comes to a boil, add the cornstarch mixture and boil for about 1 minute or until thickened. Turn heat to low and whisk in the light cream cheese. When totally smooth, whisk in the cheddar cheese. Drizzle over steamed or roasted vegetables, zoodles, cooked pasta, baked potatoes, or use it as a dip for chips or like fondue. Makes 4-6 servings.
Nutrition Information (for 1/4 of the recipe):
Calories: 125
Fat: 10
Carbs: 2
Fiber: 0
Sugars: 0
Protein: 7
WW Points Plus: 3
P.S. If you haven’t heart, people are getting their cookbooks THIS WEEK!! EEEK! I don’t think they’re on too many shelves yet, but you can order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Deseret Book, or your favorite independent bookseller.
ALSO.
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