With the cooler weather and never ending winter we are experiencing everyone is looking for warm cozy comfort food. My kids go to comfort food is mac n cheese. Doesn’t matter what brand of type, they will eat it. Although it’s convenient at times, there are a lot of chemicals and dye colors in the highly processed favored kid lunch. In my effort to find a solution that would keep them happy with a tasty lunch and me happy feeding them wholesome food I found Pinch Of Yum‘s Healthy Mac N Cheese recipe.
I always add extra squash and then my kids add extra cheese, so it’s win-win meal!
photo from www.pinchofyum.com
Healthy Mac and Cheese
serves: 4 – 1 heaping cup per serving
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni – whole wheat, low glycemic, gluten free… any will work!
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 small butternut squash (4-5 cups cubed)
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup shredded cheese – I like Gruyère but any kind will work
- parsley for topping
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Cut the onion into thin rings and add to the butter in the pan, sauteing over low heat until fragrant and golden, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, remove the skin and the seeds from the squash. Cut the flesh into small cubes. Bring the broth to a boil and add the squash. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until fork tender. Drain, reserving ½ cup broth, and transfer squash to the blender. Add the onions, milk, salt, and reserved broth and puree until completely smooth and creamy. This should yield about 4 cups sauce.
- Pour the pureed sauce over the cooked noodles and add the shredded cheese. Stir to melt the cheese; add water or milk to adjust consistency as needed. Serve with parsley, salt, and pepper to taste.
NOTES
When caramelizing the onions, keep the heat low to prevent burning. The deeper the golden color, the more flavorful they will be.
