4. Light(er) mac & cheese

So, you want to make a mac & cheese that's good for the taste buds and the waistline? Obviously mac & cheese isn't inherently a healthy dish, but there are tricks for adding some more nutritional value and cutting calories.

First off, you can use reduced fat or low-fat cheeses. If you're using such a cheese, it's important to cook the mixture slowly since low-fat and reduced fat cheeses (like a skim milk cheese) clump up more easily. You may need to add a few extra teaspoons of flour if your cheese starts to clump.

Second, you can swap regular pasta for whole grain pasta to add some fiber. And third, try adding in some color! Throw in a bunch of arugula, herbed zucchini or tomatoes roasted with garlic to get some more antioxidants.

5. How to nurse a tryptophan hangover

To me, the ultimate diner breakfast isn't the eggs you find there, it's the potatoes - especially when they're in the form of home fries. In this mac & cheese, those home-fried potatoes get their just due by acting as the crowning glory on the creamy, cheesy pasta underneath. And of course, because this IS a mac & cheese, there's also melted cheese on top of those potatoes too. I don't have to wonder what Dr. Atkins would have said about a potato-on-pasta dish, but this is one splurge worth its weight in carbs.

Breakfast Mac 'n' Cheese

Ingredients

1 Tbsp, plus 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed

8 oz small or medium shell pasta

1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp olive oil

1 pound small red potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch chunks (do not peel)

Freshly ground pepper

1 small onion (about 4 oz), cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 medium green bell pepper (about 8 oz), cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 medium red bell pepper (about 8 oz), cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole or reduced-fat milk

1/2 cup heavy cream