Thanksgiving just isn’t complete without a classic mac and cheese and I refuse to let PCOS stop me from enjoying it, so here’s 3 Tips to enjoy REGULAR macaroni and cheese for the holidays!
And spoiler alert it doesn’t involve low carb pastas or cheese substitutes!
By now you’ve gotta be ready to find out how to enjoy mac and cheese with less impact on your blood sugar so lets get into it!
Ingredients Needed For Classic Mac and Cheese
Butter – I use a little butter to make a roux for the mac and cheese. This is going to thicken the cheese sauce so we end up with a thick and creamy mac.
All Purpose Flour – The flour is needed to complete our roux
Heavy Cream – For an extra rich mac and cheese use heavy cream! It’s also lower in carbs than regular milk.
If you don’t keep heavy cream on hand or you want the mac a little less rich you can use milk instead. I personally love the Fair Life Whole Milk. Its lower in carbs and high in protein!
Water – Since I don’t keep milk on hand I use a mixture of heavy cream and filtered water to make my own milk!
Just use all milk if you’re not using heavy cream
Cream Cheese – Makes our cheese sauce extra creamy and silky smooth.
Provolone – I enjoy provolone in this classic mac and cheese but any mild creamy cheese you have on hand will work.
Havarti, Muenster, or Cream cheese could be used instead
Sharp Cheddar (Yellow) – This cheese is mostly for color but if you want your mac and cheese to have a stronger flavor use EXTRA SHARP cheddar instead!
Extra Sharp White Cheddar – This is our main cheese in the mac and cheese. Its the kind of cheese you can enjoy on its own.
It should be salty and full of flavor from the longer aging process.
Mozzarella – This is purely for the cheese pull. It won’t be making an appearance in the cheese sauce but we will be putting it in the cheese layer on top and in the middle of the macaroni and cheese
Spices – I enjoy garlic and onion powder in this classic mac and cheese.
If you have other spices you’d like to add feel free to switch it up
Paprika – This is purely for color. A little sprinkle on top of the mac and cheese prior to baking makes it look extra delicious
Turmeric – I prefer a yellow mac and since this one doesn’t have a lot of yellow cheddar I like to give it a boost with the turmeric. This is 100% optional and you don’t taste it at all.
Sour Cream – My mom’s secret to the best mac and cheese is sour cream! It adds extra saltiness and a lovely tang that really lifts the flavor of macaroni and cheese.
If you want your mouth to SING after a bite of this mac add the sour cream.
You’ll never make it any other way!
Salt and Pepper – Always always always season your food!
You can’t season mac and cheese after its baked so its important that you do it now
How To Make This Classic Mac and Cheese
- Add butter to a pan and heat until melted. Add flour and cook while whisking for 2-3 minutes until mixture smells slightly toasted.
- Turn heat to low and slowly add cream mixture while while whisking. Make sure the sauce is completely smooth
- Add spices and cream cheese. Stir gently until melted.
- Heat sauce gently for 3-4 minutes until thickened
- Remove from heat and add cheese one handful at a time. Whisk in between each addition of cheese.
- If the cheese isn’t completely melted at this point its okay. When you add the HOT pasta the cheese will melt
- Fold cooked pasta into the mac and cheese sauce. Stir in the sour cream then taste it!
- I like to season with salt, pepper, and extra garlic powder if it needs it
Assembling The Mac and Cheese
Combine 4oz of mozzarella and 4oz of sharp cheddar.
Fold 1/3 of the cheese mixture into the mac and cheese. The remaining cheese will be layered
Add half of the macaroni pasta to an 8×8 baking dish
Add half of the remaining cheese. Spread evenly
Spread the oter half of macaroni pasta on top of the first cheese layer
Finish the top of your mac with the remaining cheese, and a few shakes of paprika
Bake 350F for 25-30 minutes
Cheese sauce should be bubbly and the top of the mac should be lightly browned (I don’t like a crispy top so I tent with foil and broil at the end of baking
Now That you know what you need to make this classic mac and cheese lets get into the tips!
Many of us with PCOS have insulin resistant PCOS. This basically means our bodies have a hard time using up the carbohydrates we eat to create energy.
Instead, sugars from those carbs hang around in our bloodstream and spikes our blood sugar. Our goal is to avoid those spikes and my 3 simple tips can help you do just that!
PCOS TIP # 1
No Lonely Carbs!
Carbs should never be eaten alone if you can help it. They need friends so pair them with a non starchy veggie for better blood sugar levels!
My Favorite Non Starchy Veggies:
- Green Beans
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Asparagus
- Bell Peppers
Generally veggies that grow above ground are non starchy, and below ground veggies (like potatoes) are higher in carbs and should not be eaten alone.
PCOS Tip # 2
Eat in This Order: VEGGIES > PROTEIN > CARBS
Believe it or not the order you eat your food in can make a difference in your blood sugar! Non starchy veggies create a layer of fiber to line your intestine and prevent carbs from being absorbed too quickly!
I know it may not seem practical to eat this way but it can be super helpful if you can even if its only sometimes.
What I personally like to do it eat 75% of my veggies first, half of my protein. Then finish eating my meal like normal. It allows me to reap the benefits of eating veggies first while still fully enjoying my meal!
PCOS Tip # 3
Walk It Off!
Taking a ten minute walk can help your body use up some of those carbs/sugars and minimize a blood sugar spike. This can be especially helpful on Thanksgiving when we’re indulging in super carb heavy foods.
Feel free to make it fun! Take your family or friends along with you so you can ALL enjoy better blood sugar levels during the holidays. You’d be surprised how quickly that walk may go from 10 minutes to 30 just because you have someone to talk to!
Bonus Tip!
I know I said I was only sharing 3 PCOS tips today but its the season of giving so I’m gifting you with one more!
Cook your pasta the night before and chill it overnight.
Why? doing this creates resistant starch that won’t spike your blood sugar as much when you eat it. And yes its completely okay to reheat the pasta it will still have the benefits from the chilling process
Just make sure to toss the pasta with a little oil to keep it from sticking and voila!
Now you know how to enjoy your classic mac and cheese while managing your PCOS <3
Classic Mac and Cheese (5 Cheeses)
Equipment
- Pot
- Pasta Strainer
- Deep Pan or Heavy Bottom Pot
- Silicone Whisk / Wooden Spoon
- Cheese Grater
- Baking Dish – 8×8 or 9×9
Ingredients
Cheese Sauce
- 8 oz Elbow Macaroni
- 2 Tbsp Butter (28g)
- 2 Heaping Tbsp A.P. Flour (25g)
- 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 Cup Filtered Water *Sub Full liquid amount with Whole Milk if you prefer
- 2 oz Cream Cheese
- 2 oz Provolone
- 6 oz Total Sharp Cheddar (2oz Sauce + 4oz Cheese Layer)
- 4 oz Extra Sharp White Cheddar
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
Additional Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Sour Cream (30g)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Cheese Layer
- 4 oz Mozzarella
- 4 oz Sharp Cheddar (from the 6oz)
Instructions
- Boil pasta for 6-8 minutes or until perfectly cooked through
- Add butter to a pan over medium heat. Once melted add flour
- Stir butter and flour together for 1-2 minutes or until it smells slightly toasty and barely golden brown
- Slowly whisk cream mixture (or whole milk) into the the roux. Should be smooth with no lumps
- Add spices and cream cheese. Heat gently until cream cheese melts and sauce thickens (2-3 minutes)
- Remove from heat and add cheese one handful at a time
- Don't worry if the cheese isn't 100% melted at this point. When you add the HOT pasta to the sauce it will finish melting
- Strain pasta and immediately add to the cheese sauce
- Add sour cream and stir. Taste cheese sauce for seasoning
- I like to add a little salt and pepper, as well as additional garlic and onion powder if it needs it
- Fold 1/3 of shredded cheese layer mix into the pasta. We don't want it to melt, just speckled with cheese throughout the sauce
- Add half the pasta to a deep 8×8 baking dish. Top with half of the remaining cheese. Add the second half of the pasta. Finish the top with remaining cheese and a few shakes of paprika for color.
Baking The Mac and Cheese
- Bake 350℉ for 25-30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is browned to your liking
- Wait 15 minutes before digging in and enjoy the best classic mac and cheese for the holiday season
- Happy Cookin!
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