Photo: Thinkstock

Whole-wheat pasta, Greek yogurt and butternut squash add flavor to this lightened-up version of classic macaroni and cheese—without the extra calories.









Serves 4

Ingredients

• 12-ounce package whole-wheat or gluten-free macaroni, cooked
• 1 1/2 cup butternut squash, cut into small cubes, boiled and pureed
• 1 cup low-fat organic milk
• 1 tbsp organic butter or butter alternative
• 4 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup grated or shredded part-skim cheddar cheese (preferably sharp)
• 1/2 cup grated or shredded part-skim jack cheese
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Put butternut squash puree in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the milk, butter, and yogurt and continue to stir until incorporated.

When the puree begins to simmer, slowly start adding the cheeses, mixing the entire time.

When all of the cheese is melted and the sauce begins to thicken, season with a little salt and pepper, to taste. Continue to add seasoning until desired flavor is achieved.

Stir in one quarter of the cooked macaroni at a time, until all of the pasta is saturated with cheese sauce.

Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information

Per serving: 454 calories (compared to 540 for the equivalent weight of regular mac and cheese), 29 grams protein, 62 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams dietary fiber (compared to 3 grams for regular), 6 grams sugar, 10 grams total fat, 4.9 grams saturated fat (compared to 10.4 grams for regular), 28 milligrams cholesterol, 474 milligrams calcium (compared to 376 milligrams for regular), 468 milligrams sodium (compared to up to 1,054 milligrams for regular).

From David B. Reardon, Executive Chef/Director of Food & Beverage at Bacara Resort & Spa