Squash Gratin (a version of butternut squash "mac" & cheese)
 

I have had great success, I mean GREAT success, Beachifying a Martha Stewart recipe for butternut squash mac & cheese (I double the ricotta, use lowfat cheese, no breadcrumbs - or whole wheat - and high fiber, low GI elbows.) The other day I decided to tweak it and replace the macaroni with spaghetti squash. The result was amazing! It was so sweet, like a dessert almost... I added a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar to it on the plates, which melded perfectly with the sweetness...

Anyway, here's what I came up with:

Squash Gratin

• 1 ¾ c skim milk
• 1 veggie bouillon cube (or use less milk and a broth)
• 2 c lowfat cottage cheese, pureed (or ricotta, I just had cottage cheese)
• 1 cup packed butternut squash
• ~2 cups spaghetti squash (half of one), cooked
• ½ c. lowfat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• ~ ½ c. parmesan cheese, shredded, divided

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat the milk with the bouillon cube. Add the cooked butternut squash and mix thoroughly (alternatively, cook raw butternut squash cubes in the milk & bouillon/broth as Martha Stewart does - I just find it tedious to cut up a butternut squash). Add cheeses (half of the parmesan, save the rest for on top). Mix with the spaghetti squash, making sure all the strands are separated and coated. Spread in a baking dish, oiled. Sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese on top. Bake ~1 ¼ hrs, until browning on top and bubbling merrily. If desired, zap under the broiler for carmelized gratin goodness.

Try serving with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar if desired.




The numbers, according to Sparkpeople:
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 185.1
Total Fat 4.9 g
Saturated Fat 3.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.4 g
Cholesterol 16.2 mg
Sodium 572.7 mg
Potassium 429.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 15.9 g
Dietary Fiber 2.2 g
Sugars 1.6 g
Protein 19.7 g
Vitamin A 79.0 %
Vitamin B-12 16.8 %
Vitamin B-6 10.9 %
Vitamin C 17.3 %
Vitamin D 8.3 %
Vitamin E 1.1 %
Calcium 33.8 %
Copper 4.3 %
Folate 7.4 %
Iron 4.2 %
Magnesium 9.9 %
Manganese 7.5 %
Niacin 5.6 %
Pantothenic Acid 8.8 %
Phosphorus 33.0 %
Riboflavin 19.2 %
Selenium 19.1 %
Thiamin 7.3 %
Zinc 8.3 %

This sounds like something I'll enjoy. Thanks for sharing it with us, Emma! :)
I'm going to make it over the weekend.

Yum.......that sounds good!

I made this yesterday, and it is very good, although I wouldn't consider it a version of macaroni and cheese. It would make a lovely side dish for a holiday dinner.

I agree, not like a pasta dish any more! It was almost squash overload, very sweet. But good :)

For the traditional mac & cheese, I use suitable elbows (12-16 oz; I just add what seems right depending on how saucy I want the end result). The pasta absorbs a lot of liquid during the baking time, so start quite liquid-y.

This is great comfort food! I made it recently for an aunt recuperating from surgery and it was a big hit.