Fall is in full swing here in New England. The view from my kitchen looks out onto a dense array of trees full of fire red, yellow and orange leaves. One of the best things about fall other than the picturesque landscape is the fall themed food. Pumpkin, Apple, Walnut, Cranberry....and of course butternut squash. My husband, Brad, told me last week that he was in the mood for some Mac N Cheese...the perfect cold weather comfort food. We typically try to eat healthy during the week, with a spulrge here and there on the weekend. So with that, I was on a mission to find the perfect healthy Mac N cheese. I came upon a couple recipes, but decided to settle on a fall themed one..."Butternut squash Mac N Cheese."Ironically the word "butter" is stuffed inside butternut squash...but when used correctly it can be just as tasty and creamy as real butter. Plus you get a half of days worth of veggies in this one dish! Last night I attempted this recipe...and as you can see in the picture it came out surprisingly well!
It is easy to make! All you need is:
-1 package frozen butternut squash
-1/2 cup of skim or 1% milk
-Variety of reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar, Parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta)...use whatever combo suits you the best
-pinch of dried mustard
-Pinch of pepper/salt
-Macaroni Noodles
-Unseasoned breadcrumbs or fiber one bran cereal
To begin, bring salted water to a boil and add in your noodles. Boil for about 5 minutes, until al dente...remove and put into a mixing bowl. Next...in a sauce pan...put in your frozen butternut squash and milk. Heat on medium while stirring together. Once a liquid mixture is formed...add in your cheeses...as much or as little as you like!...stir, stir...until mixture becomes thicker, creamier...and cheesier! Add a hint of dried mustard (which i forgot myself)...stir..and remove from heat. Once removed add mixture to your noddles in the mixing bowl. Mix together and pour into a casserole dish. Now for the breadcrumbs you have 2 options. For an extra healthy version...grind fiber one cereal, pepper, salt and a touch of oregano in a mini chop until breadcrumbs are formed. Sprinkle on top of mixture. Or take 2 teaspoons of breadcrumbs..and mix them with your fingers with pepper, salt and grated Parmesan cheese...sprinkle on top. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees and then place under the broiler for 2ish minutes and done!
It is a great fall meal...full of great nutrients. I paired mine with a side salad. It was a great dinner....one that I will be repeating throughout winter!
No comments:
Post a Comment