Healthy Pumpkin Mac-N-Cheese

Remember the days when you would beg your mom to buy you those famous blue boxes with the yellow writing on them? You would be standing in the grocery aisle telling her how much you cannot live without macaroni and cheese. After minutes of begging she would buy it for you because it was easy and you adored the stuff. Yeah..I remember those days too. That is until I learned how to cook myself a healthier, heartier version of what I like to call adult Mac-n-cheese, although this stuff is great for kids too! With the holidays quickly approaching and Thanksgiving here next week, this meal is going to keep you sane and feel calm, cool, and collected through all of your holiday to-dos. Not only does my Pumpkin Mac-N-Cheese contain 14-grams of fiber (impressive huh?) But it's also filled with seasonal fall veggies and can be made a few days before Thanksgiving to keep you movin and groovin. 

If you are anything like me you love cooking and you are the master chef in your house. If you are the main cook in your family then you are probably the one who cooks Thanksgiving dinner. And I'm betting the last thing you want to do the night before Thanksgiving is cook food. That's where my pumpkin mac-n-cheese comes in. You can prep this dish a couple of days before and stash it in the fridge. Pop in the oven a few minutes before you are ready to start eating and you've got an easy recipe that's healthy and filling the night before the big day. This also makes great leftovers and will store in the freezer in an airtight container for a few months, so get to prepping this delicious pumpkin mac-n-cheese! Cheese, please! 

I've also snuck in some protein in here by using Vital Proteins Beef Bone Broth which gives the pumpkin mac-n-cheese a rich taste along with an extra 9-grams of protein. How do you like your Mac-N-Cheese? Super cheesy or just enough cheese to savor each bite? My pumpkin mac-n-cheese has white cheddar and asiago cheese, but if you are dairy free you can easily swap these out with cashew cheese or any type of vegan cheese. The creaminess of this dish is the added pumpkin and gives this mac-n-cheese a heavenly texture that melts in your mouth. 

Do you guys know just how good pumpkin is for you? I've talked about it on here before and I will do it again. Pumpkin! Pumpkin! Pumpkin! It's loaded with fiber, beta-carotene, potassium, and vitamin-A. Pumpkin is great for heart health, keeping your skin supple and wrinkle-free, and it's great for keeping you regular. Eat as much pumpkin as your heart desires! 

I've created a food video for you guys so be sure and check that out here. 

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Pumpkin Mac-N-Cheese

by Genevieve November-15-2017

If you are anything like me you love cooking and you are the master chef in your house. If you are the main cook in your family then you are probably the one who cooks Thanksgiving dinner. And I'm betting the last thing you want to do the night before Thanksgiving is cook food. That's where my pumpkin mac-n-cheese comes in. You can prep if a couple of days before and stash it in the fridge. Pop in the oven a few minutes before you are ready to start eating and you've got an easy recipe that's healthy and filling the night before the big day.

 

Ingredients

• ½ cup Grass-fed Butter
• 1 cup Red Onion
• ½ cup Fresh Garlic
• 2 tablespoons Fresh Ginger
• 5 cups Organic Macaroni Elbows
• 1 scoop Vital Protein's Beef Bone Broth
• 1 cup Shredded Carrots
• 1 cup Organic Pumpkin Puree
• 1 cup Zucchini
• 2 sprigs Fresh Tarragon
• 1 cup Organic Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 cup Asiago Cheese
• 2 cups White Cheddar Cheese
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Organic Bread Crumbs

 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Cook pasta according to package directions, set aside Chop up all veggies, set asideSimmer grass-fed butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat Add onions, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, and simmer Next, add Vital Protein's Beef Bone Broth and simmer some moreAdd shredded carrots, zucchini, and fresh tarragon and simmer over medium heatNext, add pumpkin and heavy whipping cream until sauce forms Remove sauce from heat and add pasta and sauce to a baking dishNext, mix in cheese and add breadcrumbs for the topping and more cheese Bake at 400-degrees for 45-minutes or until golden brown

 

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour Yield: 6 servings

Let me know what you guys think of this recipe and if you make this delicious Pumpkin Mac-N-Cheese in your pre-thanksgiving holiday prep meals. Enjoy!