Growing up I absolutely loved Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. You know the kind with the orange cheese powder. I truly thought it was the best kind of macaroni and cheese made. When I went over to a friends house and their parents made homemade Mac and Cheese, I thought it was disgusting. I was so particular about my Kraft Mac and Cheese that I really only liked when my mom made it. If my dad was making Mac and Cheese I told him to make it the same way mom does. I can’t even remember what the difference was, but I just know there was a difference. I think I liked it really thin. Oh and I absolutely hated when they switched to the extra cheesy version. I was a purest.
In college, I had not really had a veggie revelation. I would have still consumed Kraft Mac and Cheese by the boatload, but like I said I hated the extra cheesy version and I only liked it on the stove top. These two preferences probably prevented me from gaining 20 pounds in college. From time to time, being weird and particular about what I ate, has certainly benefited me. Refusing to eat late night pizza in college because I hate tomato sauce, also helped me a lot!
This Spaghetti Squash Pumpkin Mac and Cheese is a far cry from anything I would eat growing up. It has real cheese and veggies. Crazy! But the orange color of this dish, from the pumpkin puree, makes me nostalgic for the orange cheese powder in a packet that I used to love.
Spaghetti Squash Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 small-medium spaghetti squash
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup smoked gouda shredded
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar shredded
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds.
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Pour 1 tsp of olive oil on each half.
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Place the spaghetti squash face down in a glass baking dish.
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Cook for about 30 minutes, depending on size of the spaghetti squash, it's done when the skin becomes tender.
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Meanwhile, in a medium pot on medium heat, add 1 cup of pumpkin puree, and one cup of milk and 1/2 tsp of pumpkin spice, and salt. Mix until incorporated.
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Add cheese to the pot. Continue to mix until the cheese gets incorporated. If the sauce needs to be thickened add the tsp of cornstarch.
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When the spaghetti squash is done, shred spaghetti squash and add it to the pumpkin and cheese mixture. Mix until all the squash is covered with pumpkin cheese sauce.
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