Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard

After all of that vacation talk, it is time to get back to what matters around here…food!

And speaking of food, is there anything better than macaroni and cheese?

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It is the pure definition of comfort food in my book.

Add in some butternut squash and a little swiss chard and you have somewhat healthy comfort food.

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Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard

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Adapted from Eat Yourself Skinny

  • 3 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed
  • 1 bunch swiss chard, chopped
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1.5 cup fat-free milk
  • 4 ounces fat-free Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar & monterey jack cheese
  • 1/4 cup mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup parmesan
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
  • 16 ounces whole wheat pasta shells
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

 

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For the breadcrumbs, I used some of San Francisco’s finest (Beckmann’s) whole wheat sourdough bread which I ground up in my food processor.

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And the mix of cheeses I chose was kind of random but you could use any of your favorite cheeses in place of these.

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Start by preheating the oven to 375°F. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a sauté pan before adding the garlic and onion.

You can place your minced garlic in a completely unnecessary really cute little dish if you want.

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Sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes and then add in the chopped swiss chard.

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Continue to sauté for about 5 to 6 minutes. Once the chard is tender, remove from the pot and set aside.

Next, bring the vegetable broth to a boil and then add in the butternut squash and the milk.

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Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for about 20 minutes, until squash is tender.

While the squash is simmering, boil another pot of water and cook the pasta until tender.

Remove squash mixture from heat and pour into a blender. Add in the Greek yogurt, salt and pepper and blend into a thick sauce.

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Then pour the sauce back into the pot over low heat and stir in the mozzarella, cheddar & monterey jack cheese.

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Once the sauce is nice and cheesy, add in the veggies.

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Lastly, stir in the cooked pasta shells until everything is well combined and then place into a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and then top with parmesan cheese before baking in the oven for about 25 minutes. The top just be nice and golden when it is done.

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This pasta was super creamy with just the right amount of cheese. And I didn’t feel too guilty eating it either. Laughing out loud

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Brandon gave it his stamp of approval not once, but twice.

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After coming home from all of that snow in Tahoe, we ended up getting some on the hill tops here in the valley as well.

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It made for a nice view on our evening walk with the pups but I am ready for it to warm up now! I have never lived anywhere that it has been this cold for this long. (I apologize in advance to northerners who put up with much worse than this!) I’m about ready for some wine tasting in sandals and sundresses. Winking smile

 

Do you prefer cold weather or warm weather?