Skinny Beef Mac & Cheese

As you guys know, Im a Sunday dinner nut.  I dont care if Im cooking for a group or for only myself, I love to make a pretty big meal on Sundays.  With it being as cold as it's been lately, I took the opportunity to make something warm & hearty with a low calorie count.  Also, a note : this recipe calls for light alfredo sauce & I forgot to put it on my list (like a brainiac!) so, I used the light spaghetti sauce I had in my fridge.

Recipe from Skinny Kitchen dot com
Yields 6 servings
277 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

6 oz whole wheat penne

1/2 lb lean ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c zucchini, chopped

1 c onion, chopped

10 oz light alfredo or red sauce

1/2 c fat-free cottage cheese

1 c grape tomatoes, sliced in half

Black pepper, to taste

1/2 c reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

INGREDIENTS

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Cook pasta according to box directions & drain.

In a large skillet, cook & break up ground beef over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

Stir in fresh garlic & continue to cook for 2 minutes (or until beef is browned).

In the meantime, place zucchini & onion in a microwave safe bowl.

Cook in the microwave for 4 minutes, until soft.

Add to pan of beef.

Stir in cooked pasta, sauce, cottage cheese, tomato, & season with pepper.

Mix well & spoon into prepared dish.

Sprinkle cheese over top of casserole.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.