Date night: Sweet potato mac n cheese & pb banana white chocolate chip blondies!

So last night Steve and I had the first real date night we've had in a while and instead of going out to dinner, I decided we would stay home and cook together--so much more fun! I've been wanting to make this Sweet Potato and Brie Mac N Cheese recipe ever since I found it a few months ago on HealthyFoodForLiving. I love getting recipes off healthy living blogs because I only have to make a few if any changes!

I've also been pretty obsessed with Peanut Butter and Co lately. I discovered their White Chocolate Wonderful a little over a year ago and recently discovered all the other flavors. They are all nutritionally pretty much the same as regular peanut butter and natural and freaking delicious! So I wanted to make a dessert using that. From the same website I found the recipe for these blondies.

Not to toot my own horn, but this was pretty much the most amazing dinner I have made in a while. If I wasn't trying to look cute for date night I probably would have licked the bowl. Go ahead, judge me haha. So heeerrreee we go...

Sweet Potato and Brie Mac N Cheese:

Makes 4 very filling servings!

• 8 oz uncooked whole wheat macaroni or other pasta
  
• 1 cup sweet potato puree (roast a few sweet potatoes at 400°F for 1 hour, or until soft; puree flesh until smooth; measure out 1 cup)
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  
• 2 oz (about 4 Tbsp) fat free cream cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (I couldn't find the 50% so I just used reg 2% sharp cheddar)
• 2 wedges lite swiss laughing cow cheese
  
• 1/2 cup good-quality reduced fat brie cheese, rind removed, cut into cubes (I have seen red fat brie before, but I could only find regular yesterday so I just used that)
  
• tiny pinch of ground nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions (I actually prefer to cook my pasta a minute or two less than the lowest cooking time on the package for al dente pasta); drain.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together and heat sweet potato puree and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until just starting to simmer.
3. Reduce stove heat to low. Whisk in cheeses until fully melted.
4. Stir in nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Stir drained pasta into the sweet potato-cheese sauce and mix until thoroughly combined.

Peanut Butter Banana White Chocolate Chip Blondies:

I cut mine into 20 small ones, but lets be honest, that is more like 10 real servings because if you're anything like me you will eat two at a time with a delicious cup of almond milk!

• 1/4 cup white chocolate peanut butter (I used the Peanut Butter and Co White Chocolate Wonderful)
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tbs splenda brown sugar blend
  
• 2 egg whites
  
• 1 cup mashed overripe banana (about 3 large)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup all-natural white chocolate chips (I got Sunspire ones at Whole Foods and they are amazing!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with sprayed parchment paper so the edges hang over the sides of the pan.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream together the peanut butter, applesauce, and splenda brown sugar. Add in the egg whites and beat until combined. Add in the mashed banana and vanilla; beat until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Stir white chocolate chips into the dry ingredients (this step prevents the chips from sinking into the batter).
5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just moistened.
6. Spoon batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Remove pan from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Remove the blondies by picking up the edges of the parchment paper and let cool completely; cut into squares and serve.