Our onsite Registered Dietitians (RDs) teach cooking schools using Pritikin-perfect recipes and cooking methods. Pritikn Perfect dishes are made without any added salt, fat, or sugar.

We work hard to develop simple and flavorful Pritikin Perfect recipes but we acknowledge that it can be difficult to re-make some traditional comfort foods into Pritikin-perfect dishes. Many classic dishes - like those enjoyed around the holidays - are typically made with plenty of added sodium, fat, and/or sugar.

That being said, with a few adjustments, many can easily fit into the Pritikin-inspired category. While not Pritikin perfect, Pritikin-inspired ingredient swaps and cooking methods result in notably healthier nutrition profiles.

This week, we challenged ourselves to convert a traditional Mac-n-Cheese recipe into a Pritikin-inspired Mac-n-cheese. Instead of the main ingredients being butter, salt, and cheese, we opted for healthier swaps like plain nonfat Greek yogurt and unsweetened soy milk (plenty of protein and no added fat or salt), light Laughing Cow Cheese, a touch of parmesan cheese (add minimal amounts of sodium, especially when compared to traditional recipes), mustard, vinegar, and spices (no skimping on flavor). We increased the fiber, color, texture, and nutritional content of the recipe by using cauliflower, carrots, and Yukon gold potato to build our cheese sauce. Take a look at the nutritional difference between our version and a more traditional mac-n-cheese sauce below under the recipe.

Our goal in this video, which we hope to develop into a series, is to show Pritikin program graduates, their families, and anyone trying to improve their heart health, that you can still enjoy familiar foods by making a few adjustments. Get creative with our Pritikin-inspired cooking suggestions and share what comfort foods you were able to improve!

Pritikin-inspired Mac-n-Cheese

Ingredients
2 cups frozen cauliflower florets
1 yukon gold potato (peeled)
2 carrots (peeled)
1 cup water
¼ cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
2 TBS parm cheese (or nutritional yeast)
2 TBS light Laughing Cow Cheese wedges
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp yellow mustard
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp turmeric
* unsweetened plant milk, like soy or almond milk

Directions
1. Boil cauliflower florets, carrots, and potato in water. Once softened, blend.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender, pot, or bowl (if you are using an immersion blender) and blend together adding unsweetened plant-based milk to thin out the sauce to your desired consistency.

3. Spoon the cheese sauce over cooked pasta, give it all a good mix, and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Pritikin-inspired Mac-n-Cheese (Sauce)

  • Serves: 5
  • Calories: 78
  • Total Fat: 2.4g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 10.9 g
  • Protein: 4.5g

Traditional Home-made Mac-n-Cheese (Sauce)

  • Serves: 6
  • Calories: 444
  • Total Fat: 37g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 4.9g
  • Protein: 22g

¾ Cup of Whole wheat elbow pasta:

  • Calories: 130
  • Total Fat: 0.5g
  • Total Carbohydrates: 27.8g
  • Protein: 5.6g