Healthy cheese macaroni

Healthy cheese macaroni

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) cubes
1 1/4 cups macaroni or other short pasta
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of flour
2 cups of milk
3 tablespoons of grated cheddar cheese
2 green onions, sliced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

PREPARATION
1. In a large pot of slightly salted boiling water, cook the squash for 2 minutes. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until squash is tender and pasta is al dente. Drain pasta and squash. Book.

2. In another large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the sage and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute or until they release their aroma. Using a whisk, add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk in a thin stream. Cook, whisking often, for 6 to 8 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Add reserved pasta and squash, and cook for 3 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

3. In saucepan, add cheddar and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until melted. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the green onions, mustard, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Season with salt, pepper and mix. Serve immediately


A good thing

To save time, cook the pasta with the squash. Note that the cheese sauce is a little pale at first, but it is quickly absorbed by the pasta.