Creamy (low fat!) Mac n Cheese

I like to think that I'm a fairly healthy eater. I now eat fruits and veggies almost every day (almost.. usually at least 6 out of 7 days a week, but I certainly haven't always eaten that healthy ::cough:college:cough::), and I usually eat food as low in calories and fat as possible. Growing up my mother always cooked amazing meals for us, and she also made sure that we ate very healthy... so I come by my eating habits honestly.

But sometimes I cheat (seriously, who doesn't.. you can't eat healthy ALL of the time), and one of my favorite things to "cheat" on is mac n cheese. There's really not much better than a nice bowl of creamy, cheesy, delicious mac n cheese. Mmmmmmmm.

I've never made homemade mac n cheese before (unless you want to count Kraft or Easy Mac), so when I saw a good looking recipe in the latest magazine of Cooking Light I decided to give it a try. The main way that they cut down on calories and fat is by omitting the bechamel sauce and using butternut squash to add creaminess instead. Yummy mac n cheese with "hidden" vegetables? Bonus! This recipe may not exactly compare to the full fat, artery clogging mac n cheese recipes I've had in the past, but for something that's lower in fat I'd say it's a pretty darn good dish.

Another thing to note is that I assembled this the night before (through step 5), and then baked it the next day to serve as a side dish with a meal. Since it's a little time consuming this allowed me to serve it fresh for dinner without having to worry about timing with the other dishes.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 [1-pound] squash)
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1 pound uncooked cavatappi
• Cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 375°.
• 2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
• 3. Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined.
• 4. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
• 5. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko, and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the hot pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray.
• 6. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve