This Greek Yogurt Stovetop Mac and Cheese is a healthy twist on comfort food! With spinach and parmesan, it’s delicious in under 30 minutes.
This position was created in partnership with Stonyfield. All opinions are ours.
Now that we’re parents to an 11-month-old, we think even more about health and well-being. How do you stay healthy during cold and flu season? Even if you’re not a parent, getting through cold and flu season is key to meeting your commitments and staying fit this winter. And guess what? This Greek Yogurt Macaroni and Cheese is not only incredibly delicious, but it also boosts immunity.
What Makes This the Best Greek Yogurt Macaroni and Cheese?
This Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese takes that classic comfort food and infuses it with immunity-boosting foods! Cheese and pasta don’t boost immunity, of course, but these pastas add a good dose of veggies and probiotics. The special thing about this recipe:
- greek yogurt is blended in at the end to achieve a creamy texture and deliver a dose of live, active cultures and proteins.
- fresh spinach is gently withered for all the added nutrients with no strong flavor.
- turmeric gives a small immunity boost and a little extra color.
You may be wondering how these Spinach Macaroni and Cheese taste? Although there are many good things, it is so seriously delicious and creamy. The flavor is nuanced with some Parmesan cheese and fresh garlic, giving the Greek Yogurt Macaroni and Cheese a slightly more sophisticated flavor. But it’s still tasty enough for kids!
Also: Try all of our best Macaroni Cheese Recipes and Greek Yogurt Recipes!
How to stay healthy during cold and flu season
Now we’ve talked a bit about staying healthy and boosting immunity. To deepen the topic, I was able to speak to an expert: Dr. Tanya Altman. She is a pediatrician and author interested in the well-being of babies and mothers! Here are some of his tips for keeping everyone healthy during cold and flu season:
- Sleep is the key. A good night’s sleep is key to overall well-being and disease control.
- Start the day with protein. That means things like eggs, nut butters, oatmeal, and yogurt!
- Add fresh fruit or vegetables to every meal/snack. That’s why we have spinach in this Mac and Cheese with Greek Yogurt!
- Drink water and exercise. Did you know that light exercise can fight disease? dr Altman recommends 60 minutes of physical activity per day.
- Probiotics contribute to gut health and immunity. Yogurt is full of probiotics, which are helpful for a healthy gut and immunity to disease. Stonyfields Yo Baby is a great choice for children as it contains a range of probiotics to support baby’s gut health (read on).
What is Yo Baby Yogurt?
Fact: Larson is a gigantic yogurt lover. Maybe it’s the texture? Anyway, we gave her Yo Baby from Stonyfield and it’s one of her favorite foods. Maybe you’re wondering like me a few months ago: What is Yo Baby? Here’s a little more about it:
- Yo Baby is an organic yogurt with added BB-12 probiotics that promote beneficial gut bacteria and regular bowel movements.
- The texture is thicker than other organic baby yoghurts, making breastfeeding less messy, especially for babies/toddlers who are starting to feed themselves.
- Packaging made from plants instead of plastic! They’re called PLA cups, which are better because plant-based packaging has a lower carbon footprint.
What to serve with mac and cheese
Now back to the Mac! How do you turn that Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese into a meal? Don’t worry: we’ve put together all our favorite recipes to go with it! Here are some options:
How to reheat macaroni and cheese with Greek yogurt?
Isn’t the worst thing about eating leftover chilled macaroni and cheese? We found a great way to reheat it so it tastes like new! To reheat this Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese, follow these steps:
- Put in a saucepan and add some milk. Use a ratio of about 1 cup pasta to 1 tablespoon milk.
- Heat over medium heat and stir until creamy.
Related: The 12 best turmeric recipes
This Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese recipe is…
Vegetarian. For gluten-free pasta, use gluten-free pasta.
The description
This Greek Yogurt Stovetop Mac and Cheese is a healthy twist on comfort food! With spinach and parmesan, it’s delicious in under 30 minutes.
- 16 ounces Macaroni or cavatappi pasta
- 4 cups baby spinach (or regular chopped spinach)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 8 ounces High quality sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 ounce (½ cup) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup Stonyfield Plain Greek Yogurt or Whole Milk Yogurt
- Heat a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Prepare a colander in the sink and place the baby spinach in the colander. When the pasta is cooked, remove from the heat and drain the pasta in the colander so the boiling water collapses the spinach.
- Meanwhile, chop the garlic and grate the cheddar and parmesan.
- When the pasta is cooked, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground mustard, turmeric, and garlic and sauté until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pasta and spinach to skillet and toss until evenly coated.
- Add cheddar and parmesan and continue to stir until cheese is melted and evenly distributed. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove the pasta from the heat and stir in the yoghurt. Serve hot.
Remarks
PRO TIP: To reheat, place the macaroni and cheese in a skillet, add a little milk, and stir until creamy. (Ratio: about 1 cup macaroni and cheese to 1 tablespoon milk)
- Category: main course
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: American
Keywords: Creamy Mac and Cheese, Mac and Cheese, Spinach Mac and Cheese, Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese, Yogurt, Healthy Mac and Cheese
Looking for comfort food recipes?
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