Healthy Style Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound whole wheat elbow noodles
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups 2% milk, fortified with vitamin D
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 large egg
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
• 6 ounces gruyere, shredded
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh black pepper

 Topping:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (tip: do it yourself with day old whole wheat bread)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Blend day old whole wheat bread in electric blender until blended into fine crumbs

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

In a separate pot, melt the butter on low heat. Whisk in the flour and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it’s free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of each cheese. Sprinkle in salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Let sit for approximately 5 minutes prior to serving.