SENSATIONAL SKINNIER CHEESE SAUCE, low-fat, easy, vegan opt

Fabulous reduced-fat cheese sauce for all seasons...

67's Gorgeous Skinny Cheese Sauce turns Mac'n Cheese into a rich delight
...and it is just as good for cauliflower  

This was going to be a post about 'dirty' comfort food Macaroni & Cheese, cleaned up by 67goingon50's Skinnier Cheese Sauce.  Despite sharply reduced fat levels, the dish is surprisingly tasty, enhanced by butternut squash, onions and spices.   

The sauce was so good - and so abundant - 67 switched focus from the mac to the sauce.  The sauce is fabulous to have on hand - it freezes well - and can be used on cauliflower and other veg, in cheesy dips, baked potato fillings and bread bowl appetisers.  It will stuff omelettes, become a Skinny but rich Welsh rarebit...and so much more.  

And bonus: the sauce is very easy to prepare.  

For anyone trying to live a healthy lifestyle or to lose weight, you'll never look back! 

Cost: £3'ish

Makes: lots

Ingredients:

   1 medium butternut squash (about 5 cups)

   1 large brown onion

   2 cloves garlic, peeled

   1.25cups vegetable broth (granules ok)

   1.5 cups plant milk (67 used almond)

   

   2-3 tsp Dijon mustard   

   1.25 tsp celery salt

   1/2 tsp salt

   1.25 tsp pepper

   1/4 tsp turmeric

   1.25 tsp smoked paprika

   3/4 tsp cayenne powder

   1.25 tsp nutmeg

   1 tbsp lemon juice

   113.5gm/4oz 0-fat dairy/plant cottage cheese, drained

   minimum 141.75gm/5 oz reduced-fat/plant cheddar

   3 gm/1oz grated dairy/plant Parmesan

   

Method:

1. Blitz cottage cheese until smooth
2. Peel squash; remove seeds, cut into small'ish  chunks.  Peel onion: halve
3. Place with broth and garlic in a large, heavy bottomed pan; bring to a boil; turn heat down, simmer 10-15 mins until squash is soft.  (this could take up to 25 mins) 
4. Take pan off heat; add plant milk, mustard and spices; place back on med heat 
5. Add cheddar cheese, cottage cheese & parmesan; when melted, add lemon juice.  Process with stick or bowl blender until smooth and pourable.  
6. If sauce is too thick, add milk tablespoon by tablespoon until desired consistency is achieved.  If too thin, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch or rice flour with a tablespoon cold water; pour in bit by bit until the desired thickness is reached
7. Taste; adjust seasoning if needed; add more cheddar if you like 
8. (see recipe for macaroni cheese below)

Comments:

'I loved the macaroni cheese; it was very easy to eat & digest.  I would not have known it was low-fat.' 80+ priest

'When I was growing up, mac'n cheese was basically stodge; yours was the best I have ever had.  It was light; the cheese was somehow fluffy.  The whole thing with the crispy breadcrumbs and everything was so more-ish, I couldn't stop eating it.' Priest's assistant.  

Tips:

• Mac & Cauli Cheese: add just over half the amount cauliflower in florets not too much larger than pasta pieces to the cooking water along with the pasta; drain and continue with recipe. 
• Leftovers: Store in one-or two-portions. If using bags, place in a mug, folding the tops over the lip, pour in sauce and seal. Freeze flat for easier storage  Defrost overnight; reheat slowly, bubble gently 5 mins, adding a little milk to thin sauce if needed.  Or if sauce is watery, add a tablespoon rice flour or corn flour mixed with a tablespoon cold water to thicken.  Check seasoning; add more cheese if you like; for a bit of spice, add 1/4 tsp cayenne 
• for stovetop mac'n cheese, pour enough hot sauce over cooked pasta to coat, top with buttered breadcrumbs
• for oven-baked macaroni, pour a very generous amount of sauce (maybe double what you think you'll need) over drained  cooked pasta, top with breadcrumbs; bake at 200C/400F about 8 mins or until sauce is bubbling and breadcrumbs are crisp

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.