Imagine a day when everyone’s favorite classic, mac and cheese, was actually good for you. Well, that day has arrived! Hidden inside the creamy cheese sauce in this recipe is a secret vegetable that you can’t taste but still gives you its nutritional goodness- all thanks to the yellow squash! And not only does the addition of squash to the cheese sauce make it healthier, but it also makes it even creamier. How is it possible?! I don’t know how and I don’t care, all I know is that this recipe for healthy mac and cheese is one that I am definitely keeping around and making again and again.

Ingredients:

2 cups dry macaroni noodles, shells, or any other small pasta

3 medium yellow squash (the ones that look like yellow zucchini), shredded

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp flour

2 cups whole milk

2 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese

Salt to taste

 

Instructions:

Place shredded squash in a strainer over the sink and let sit for 15 min so that any excess water can drain.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Add butter, shredded squash and a pinch of salt to the pan and saute over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until squash has softened and released some of it’s water. Add the flour and saute another minute.

Reduce heat to medium-low, pour in milk and stir regularly until milk is steaming and has thickened a little. Remove the pot from heat, add a small pinch of salt and stir in the cheese.

Continue stirring until cheese has melted, then add the noodles back to the pot and stir gently until ingredients are well-incorporated.

Serve hot.

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Quick tip: Use shells or other shaped pasta that will reall carry the sauce well.

Recipe and image courtesy of Eating Made Easy