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Another Happy Meatless Monday!

Today I wanted to share an incredibly gorgeous and modern take on a family friendly comfort food classic: Broccoli Basil Mac and Cheese. This cozy, yet waistline friendly, casserole is the perfect winter meal for the adults and children in your home, loaded with creamy and melty cheese as well as nutrient packed fresh squash, basil, broccoli and tomatoes. Feel free to get creative with the vegetables and cheeses so suite your family’s preferences. Because there are a number of steps involved, this dish is best made during the weekend and served throughout your busy week (and there should be more than enough for amazing leftovers!). 

Photo from: 101cookbooks.com

Broccoli Basil Mac and Cheese
Recipe from: www.101cookbooks.com 
Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 small butternut, acorn, or other winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut into tiny chunks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ C basil, stems removed
• 2 slices good brown bread, stale or dried
• 1/2 a small head of broccoli, roughly chopped
• ¼ C light sour cream
• 1 3/4 cups grated white cheddar cheese
• 1 3/4 cups grated gruyere cheese
• 1 C cherry tomatoes
• 3 C (whole wheat) macaroni elbows

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 400F with a rack in the middle. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
• Place the squash on a large baking sheet, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
• In the meantime, pulse ½ the basil, bread, broccoli and olive oil in a food processor until you’ve got a fine crumb. It’ll be a bit damp – that’s o.k. Remove from processor and put aside.
• In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream and grated cheeses.
• Place the cherry tomatoes in the food processor with the remaining ½ basil. Pulse a couple times to break things up, then add to the sour cream mixture and stir well.
• Boil the pasta in well-salted water for a bit less time than the package suggests – you want it ever so slightly undercooked. Drain then return the hot pasta to the pan and add the cheese mixture to it. Add the squash and give it a good stir
• Transfer everything to a large baking dish or casserole. Sprinkle the green breadcrumbs evenly across the top and bake for 20 -25 minutes or until the topping is crunchy. Remove from the oven, and serve.

Nutritional Information per serving (10 servings):

Calories: 298 calories
Fat: 15 g
Saturated Fat: 8.5 g
Cholesterol: 44 mg
Sodium: 278 mg
Carbohydrate: 25.5 g
Fiber:  1.7 g
Sugar: 2 g
Protein: 15 g
Calcium: 366.8 mg 

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