Another foot of snow and subzero temps means it time to start cooking up the comfort food, and this spicy Mexican dish will make you feel all warm and toasty inside! Macaroni Con Queso is straight out of Vegetarian Times: Low-fat and Fast Mexican
, a truly one-of-a-kind cookbook.
, a truly one-of-a-kind cookbook.
is a favorite of mine because most of their recipes take less than 30 minutes to prepare. It's time for a fiesta!
Makes 6 servings
Per Serving: 251 calories, 8g protein, 3g fat, 45g carbs, 9 g fiber
Macaroni Con Queso
Ingredients
- 1 cup elbow macaroni
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- One 28-ounce can stewed tomatoes, undrained
- One 15-ounce can pinto beans or black beans, drained
- One 11-ounce can corn kernels, drained
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup shreeded low-fat Monterey Jack cheese
Preparation
1) In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 quarts of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Place the macaroni in the boiling water, stir, and return to a boil. Cook until al dente, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain in a colander.
2) Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
3) Stir in the stewed tomatoes and juice, beans, corn, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4) Fold in the cooked macaroni and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over low heat.
5) Remove from the heat and fold in the cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
6) Ladle into wide bowls and serve with warm flour tortillas.
Macaroni Con Queso is great served with salsa and low-fat tortilla chips. Have a glass of water nearby, because this dish is spicy!
