love Christmas parties. I get giddy every time a Facebook invite or Paperless Post comes my way. However, I cannot say the same for my waistline, and as much as I enjoy a great peppermint or holiday-themed baked good, I tend to crave salty foods before sweet. So in an effort to avoid tipping the scales and to offer an alternative for like minded salt lovers at all those holiday parties, I'm bringing something different this year: Guilt-Free Mac & Cheese.
It sounds like an oxymoron, but the good people at Cooking Light included this recipe in their new cookbook The New Way to Cook Light and my heart melted like a stick o' butter. But how can you make guilt-free mac & cheese without it tasting like that mystery dish I tried in my short-lived vegan phase? According to Cooking Light, the secret is in the butternut squash. Pair it with milk and Greek yogurt and the mac & cheese maintains that creamy, comfort food texture without the added calories.
Hands-on time: 1 hr. Total time: 1 hr. 25 min.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients 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.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture; stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13×9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add panko; cook 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley; serve immediately.
Better For You Banana Muffins!