These 3 Trader Joe's Items Combine For An Effortless Protein-Packed Mac And Cheese

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Diehard Trader Joe's fans know there are infinite ways to get creative with the grocery chain's seasonal and year-round products. Whether you're in the mood for an easy dinner, a delectable dessert, or a savory snack, Trader Joe's has got you covered — and so do the people online who combine these popular products to make the best easy meals. One of our recent favorites? Making high-protein, delicious mac and cheese using three of Trader Joe's staples: brown rice pasta, cottage cheese, and cheese spread.

Instagram's Lainie Kates, a holistic nutritionist, posted a video making mac and cheese with Trader Joe's Brown Rice Penne Pasta, Organic Low-Fat Cottage Cheese, and Unexpected Cheddar Cheese Spread. After melting down the cottage cheese and cheese spread in a saucepan, she blended it and poured it over cooked brown rice pasta to make the tastiest high-protein, gluten-free meal. Top it with pepper or Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend and voila! You've got yourself peak comfort food.

It's not just delicious. This Trader Joe's dinner hack makes creamy one-pot mac and cheese that's nutritious, too. While Kate's recipe calls for one container's worth of each ingredient, one serving size of each item equals around 22+ grams of protein. To break it down, 2 tablespoons of spread and 1 cup of pasta are 4 grams of protein each, and 1/2 cup of cottage cheese is a whopping 14 grams.

Apart from this popular Trader Joe's dip giving your mac and cheese an upgrade, there are many other ways to spice up this simple recipe. We like using other Trader Joe's dry pastas, like the Brown Rice and Quinoa Fusilli or the Red Lentil Sedanini, for extra fiber and texture. You can even swap out the cheddar cheese for TJ's Whipped Feta Spread, which has a nice tangy flavor. Add other protein-packed ingredients like grilled chicken or salmon for a well-rounded dish.

Toppings can also elevate this simple mac and cheese recipe. Sprinkle some green onion or chives on top, or add a layer of Trader Joe's shredded cheddar cheese, aka the best store-bought cheese, in our humble opinion. And while you can't go wrong with salt, pepper, and Everything But the Bagel seasoning, we suggest trying other Trader Joe's seasoning blends, like the Ranch or Crunchy Chili Onion Sprinkle, for an added savory bite.