Creamy, Light Macaroni and Cheese

Nothing defines comfort food better than mac and cheese, and nothing gives "comfort" a bad nutritional name quite so deliciously: A typical bowl can contain a half-day's worth of calories and two days' saturated fat. So, we gave the well-loved classic dish a much needed makeover. Instead of the traditional buttery, heavy sauce, we turned to an unlikely hero for a boost: butternut squash. Combined with nonfat milk and Greek yogurt, the squash adds a rich, nutty flavor, sneaks in some vegetable, and brilliantly mimics the color and creaminess of cheddar sauce.

We set out to make a serious dent in the calorie and fat content of good old macaroni and cheese, while preserving the creamy comfort-food texture.

Yield: 

Serves 8 (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)
Total time: 1 Hour, 25 Minutes.

Ingredients

1. 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 [1-pound] squash)
2. 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
3. 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
4. 2 garlic cloves, peeled
5. 2 tablespoons plain fat-free Greek yogurt
6. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
7. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8. 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
9. 1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
10. 1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
11. 1 pound uncooked cavatappi
12. Cooking spray
13. 1 teaspoon olive oil
14. 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
15. 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 immediately.

Nutritional Information

Calories 390
Fat 10.9 g
Satfat 6.1 g
Monofat 2.1 g
Polyfat 0.4 g
Protein 19.1 g
Carbohydrate 53.9 g
Fiber 3.2 g
Cholesterol 31 mg
Iron 2.4 mg
Sodium 589 mg
Calcium 403 mg

Source:

http://www.myrecipes.com/