Who doesn?t love mac ?n cheese? I have good news for you ? you don?t have to kiss this one goodbye to stay on your nutritional track. Nope! This Powell Pack favorite is a healthier twist on the dish so many of us crave (I?m guilty!). Enjoy!
Mama Heidi’s Mac ‘n Cheese
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 package gluten free macaroni pasta (brown rice or quinoa pastas work well!)
1 1/2 cups pureed butternut squash
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
1 cup shredded part-skim Cheddar (preferably sharp)
1/2 cup grated or shredded part-skim jack cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Small amount shredded Parmesan, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- If your butternut squash is not already pureed, cut the butternut squash in half, cover in plastic wrap and microwave about 7-9 minutes until cooked. (You can also cut your peeled butternut squash into 1″ cubes and boil till cooked, then puree.)
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, until it is al dente.
- In a large pan over medium-high heat, add the butternut squash puree, milk, butter, and yogurt and stir until well mixed. Bring to a simmer.
- When the puree begins to simmer, slowly start adding the cheeses, mixing the entire time. As the cheese melts and the sauce begins to thicken, season with a little salt and pepper, to taste.
- Slowly add in the macaroni, stirring to coat all of the pasta in cheese sauce. Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!
120 Responses
How would this work with Chris’ carb cycling program?
Obviously it would be a high carb but would it be a side?
Sprinkled shaved unsalted almonds on top. My new fav way to eat mac-n-cheese!
I’ve got a nut allergy. What would be a good alternative to the almond milk?
Rice milk is a good alternative. If you can do soy then soy milk would work as well.
This was Amazing made it last night!! I need more amazing recipes!! I think Ive done almost every one of these 😉
So close to the way we make it, think we’ll try this. I’m going to try and sneak in pur?ed cauliflower instead of the squash though, only because I have it and no one will eat it 🙂
thanks for the recipe! It is much healthier than regular mac n cheese
Love, Love, Love this recipe!!! Added chicken tonight for protein… MMMmmm.. Yummy! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I added lobster for protein… Major Yum!
I am confused about this mac and cheese recipe. This is carbs+ fat. Isn’t that a
no-no? Please, it would be helpful if when posting a recipe you would say which day it belongs on. HC or LC ? And in pasta recipes where it says 1/2 c. cooked is that dry measurement or the cooked measurement per serving.
I am new at this so I do want to get it right !
thanks so much for all you do !
This is a healthy recipe for families. It’s not all about weight loss on my website but also about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. You could use this on a reward day. 🙂
Wow Heidi, this is delish!!!! We loved it, and my 3 yr old had seconds! Thank you!!!