Mac & Cheese

While we were in the hospital getting William started on the diet, our dietician recommended shirataki mushroom pasta to us. She also provided us with this simple recipe for Mac & Cheese so I can't wait to share this one! Having never heard of it before, we were a bit hesitant about the taste and texture but we immediately noticed the unusually large serving size. One of my biggest fears starting the diet was that William was going to be hungry all the time. Having met with the dietician and in doing my own research, I knew that his new diet was going to have small portions. So as we sat in the hospital, planning his first week of keto meals and scheduling a grocery pick up for the way home, I hoped this would be a win. Fast forward a few years later and it's still one of William's favorite meals and a staple ingredient in our pantry. Just like any pasta it's super versatile and only has 2 g of carbs and 5 calories per serving size (85g)!

Equipment:
Scale
Small Sauce Pan
Spatula
A few small prep bowls

Ingredients:
Miracle Noodle (any style - fettuccine, spaghetti, angle hair) (see notes)
36% Heavy Cream
Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese
Butter
Fruit or Vegetable of Choice (both recipe variations listed at the bottom of this page)

Using the ingredients for a complete meal listed above, calculate out your recipe in the KetoDietCalculator. I have listed William's recipe at the bottom of this post for reference.

Instructions:
Drain, rinse and weigh your pasta then set aside. In one small bowl weigh out your heavy cream then together in a separate bowl weight out the butter and cheese.

Heat a small sauce pan on low and add the heavy cream. Continuously stir the heavy cream with a spatula until it starts to bubble, being careful not to let it burn. Once it starts to bubble and thicken add your cheese, butter and a pinch of salt and pepper, stirring continuously until they have melted and all ingredients have combined into a cheese sauce.

If you're ready to enjoy your Mac & Cheese right now simply add your pasta to the pan for a few minutes to heat and combine the noodles and sauce. If you're prepping in advance then poor the sauce over the noodles and place in the fridge for up to three days. This is also a great meal to heat/reheat and throw into a thermos for on-the-go.

Notes:
I like to use a clean pair of kitchen scissors to cut up these noodles for my little one. The noodles themselves are very long and because they have a slightly more rubbery texture they aren't the easiest for him cut or even eat as is.

These noodles are so easy to calculate and make into all different kinds of meals! Get creative and swap out the cheese and butter for pesto or a bolognese. Calculate in a protein like chicken sausage or tofu. Mix in some steamed broccoli or cauliflower. Miracle Noodle even has a Rice that I've been using to make Taco Bowls and Stir-Fry dishes. The possibilities are endless so stay tuned as I share more recipes like these!

There are several similar brands of shirataki (or konjac) noodles available in many stores and online. This is a particular brand that we like and can get at our local store so if you're looking to shop local then ask your store if they carry this type of noodle. Some stores will keep them refrigerated, others on the shelves and they are kept in all different aisles depending on the store - so make sure to ask. If you're curious about the taste - well... they really don't have a taste! They are slightly more rubbery in texture than typical pasta but they are so good that I have been eating them as well.

The recipe I shared below has a very high serving size of the pasta but you can certainly cut that down to free up macros for other ingredients. It will still be a fairly sizable snack or meal with only 50 g, 75 g or 100 g of the pasta.

William's Meal Calculations
Mac & Cheese with Veggies
Ratio 3:1

148 g Miracle Noodle (fettuccine, angel, & spaghetti)
23.6 g 36% Heavy Cream
8.5 g Butter
12.2 g Tillamook Medium Cheddar
38.8 g Group A or 19.4 g Group B Vegetable

Want to swap out your vegetable for fruit? I've got you!
Mac & Cheese with Fruit
Ratio 3:1

148 g Miracle Noodle (fettuccine, angel, & spaghetti)
23.8 g 36% Heavy Cream
7.9 g Butter
13.4 g Tillamook Medium Cheddar
13.2 g 10% Fruit or 8.7 g 15% Fruit