Creamy, Light Macaroni & Cheese

Good Sunday! It has been a very busy month, and I have found myself without time for posting recipes. I will be posting two today, that use the same seasonal ingredient: butternut squash. People often think of butternut squash soup, but this legume can be used many different ways, as I found out. Since we all lead busy lives this day, I also found a shortcut: you can buy pre-cut butternut squash at Coscto! Thus the picture on this recipe. I got this recipe from Cooking Light magazine

I will also be posting a recipe of a delicious butternut squash and Brie pizza following this one.

Ingredients
3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth ( bought mine at Trader Joe's)
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt
1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb uncooked penne pasta
Cooking spray
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Start the pasta pan, cooking it according to package directions. 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. Place the hot mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper and yogurt. Remove the center lid of the blender to allow steam to escape. Secure lid in place, place a paper towel over the opening, and blend until smooth. Place blended mixture in a medium bowl and add the cheeses, stirring until they are all combined and melted.

Once pasta is cooked, add it to the squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9 glass or ceramic dish coated with cooking spray.

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Mix it with the parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the hot pasta mixture.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

This amazing dish comes at -drum roll- 390 calories and 10g of fat, with 6g of saturated fat.

Enjoy! Beijos,
Thais