Ooey, Gooey, Healthier Mac and Cheese

When the weather gets cooler, my family always craves comfort food classics, especially macaroni and cheese. Creamy and hearty, it's truly one of the most-loved comfort foods of all time. Unfortunately, though, all that cheesy indulgence usually comes with a hefty side of calories and saturated fat, which makes it practically off-limits when I'm sticking to a healthy diet. With my slimmed-down and nutrient-packed version, however, I can have my mac and cheese and indulge my family's craving too.

So how do I put a healthy spin on a dish that's traditionally so heavy? I created a lighter sauce made with nonfat milk, broth, and a trio of freshly grated cheeses—light cheddar, Havarti, and Parmesan. I also swap out white pasta for whole-grain and roast my favorite seasonal vegetables to fold in at the end. Here, I used a combination of cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and butternut squash, but you can use whatever vegetables your family enjoys. The result is a creamy, delicious comfort food dish packed with healthy goodness.

Freshly grated cheese—not preshredded—is key to achieving the creamiest sauce. The anti-caking ingredients in preshredded cheese make your sauce less creamy.

Gina Homolka is the founder of skinnytaste.com and @skinnytaste.