Healthier Macaroni Cheese Bake

As you may or may not know, I’m almost obsessive when it comes to food (aren’t we all), and so always trying new recipes. With a particular focus on trying to make typically indulgent recipes lighter for everyday. That said, some recipes just don’t need re-writing or working, as they’re perfect as is.  

This ‘healthier macaroni cheese’ recipe is one I’ve tried several times, and that I’d really recommend – particularly for anyone with children or a certain liking for macaroni cheese – as you can also add any veggies you like into the sauce. I’ve changed the proportions to make it perfect for 2 (a very generous serving each, I might add).

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 x onion, roughly chopped

2 x vegetable stock cubes, dissolved into 500ml boiling water

1 x sweet potato, peeled & roughly chopped

385g butternut squash slices, roughly chopped (alternatively you can prepare a fresh butternut squash)

100ml semi skimmed milk, or a dairy alternative

300g extra mature cheddar, grated

500g fresh macaroni (or dried if you’d prefer)

Salt & pepper for seasoning

Recipe

1.     First, heat the oven to 200C fan. Add the oil to a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, cooking for 5 minutes or until softened. Next, add the sweet potato & butternut squash to the onion pan, mixing through for a minute or so, before stirring in the stock & milk. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for around 13 minutes, or until the sweet potato is just tender.

2.     Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to the packet instructions. When the vegetable mixture is ready, turn off the heat, and use a hand blender to blend the mixture until thick & smooth. Once mixed, add the cheese, a teaspoon of salt and very generous serving of pepper. Turn the heat back on and keep stirring until the cheese has complete melted.

3.     Finally, add your cooked pasta into the cheese sauce, stirring occasionally, whilst still simmering. After a minute or two, pour the mixture into a large ovenproof dish and cook for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve with a seasonal salad or bread.  

The original recipe is here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/gluten-free_cheesy_veg_60286