I am an absolute sucker for anything with melted cheese. When I was a little girl my family would go to Red Lobster for dinner every once in a while. Anyone who has been there knows that the kids menu at Red Lobster is by far the best food selection at any restaurant. And best of all? The CHEESE pizza! I loved that melted, cheesy goodness so much that when we arrived at the restaurant I would go straight to the hostess and say, "I'll have a cheese pizza please!" It was quite adorable coming from a seven year old, and at least I said please. *giggle*

Although I have grown past the cheese pizza phase of my life (for the most part...), I still love anything cheesy and delicious—like mac n' cheese! So the day that I found out how to sneak some extra vegetables into ordinary mac n' cheese and create a gourmet meal was one of the best days ever!

When I first made this recipe I was worried it would be difficult; after all, I had only ever made mac n' cheese from a box before. But in fact, the recipe was really simple and quite fun to make! It is also a nice recipe to prepare ahead of time because you can leave it in the fridge for a few days or even the freezer and bring it out to cook when you are ready to eat it.

Butternut squash are quite common in grocery stores, but you can also substitute different types of squash (acorn squash, pumpkin, etc.) if you want to try and get creative! Now that I am all grown up I am actually quite fond of all sorts of vegetables, so I like to add some broccoli and my new favourite vegetable, leeks, into the mix as well. Slight detour... The first time I tried cooking with leeks I had no idea what I was doing and I needed some guidance from my mom. I skyped her and she taught me step-by-step how to wash, cut, and cook the leek properly. It was a great mommy-daughter moment!

Gemma Evans on Unsplash

Anyways, if you are cooking for younger children, you may want to avoid the "scary green vegetables" and opt for a more classic version, using only the butternut squash. Don't worry though because you can still feel great knowing that your kids are getting some excellent nutrients! Plus, you kids will go to sleep with very happy tummies! *grin*

Visit our Sneaky–Nutrient Recipes section to find the full recipe for Butternut Squash Mac n' Cheese.