BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC 'N' CHEESE
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Butternut Squash Sauce served on rotini.
Who doesn’t crave good ol’ mac & cheese? Total comfort food for me. Unfortunately, traditional mac & cheese is one of those childhood faves that leaves me feeling not so hot.
So I made my own version using a dairy-free butternut squash sauce, and wow is it ever tasty!
Butternut squash is incredibly nutrient-dense and packed with vitamins & minerals such as vitamin A, C, potassium and magnesium. It is also rich in fiber and anti-inflammatory, disease-fighting phytonutrients, including the carotenoid antioxidants lutein & zeaxanthin.
It is believed that squash consumption may help to boost the immune system; improve bone, eye and heart health; and even reduce the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.
Now I know there are loads of recipes floating around for healthy mac & cheese. And some of them have really pretty pictures, too. But since taste reigns supreme, I’m throwing my recipe out there for you to try. It’s rich & creamy with a nutty, umami cheesy flavour and gets the thumbs-up from my sometimes picky hubs and the chicklets, too. So trust me on this and give it a go...
Ingredients:
Butternut Squash Sauce served on chickpea pasta.
one box (227 grams) Chickapea grain-free pasta shells, veggie noodles, or pasta of choice
2 cups roasted butternut squash
1/2 cup chicken bone broth or vegetable broth, plus additional broth as needed
1/2 cup roasted unsalted cashews, soaked in hot water for 1-2 hours then drained
1/4 cup nutritional yeast, or more to taste
2 Tbsp avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt, adjusted to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp black pepper, adjusted to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and return to pot.
Put roasted butternut squash, bone broth, cashews, nutritional yeast, oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, sea salt, turmeric, pepper, and cayenne in blender container and blend until smooth, using tamper as needed. I use the "purée" setting on my Vitamix.
Add additional broth as needed to achieve desired consistency. Adjust nutritional yeast, mustard, spices and seasoning to taste.
Mix pasta with desired amount of sauce, heat, and serve!
Butternut Squash Mac 'N' Cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat on stove before serving, or enjoy it cold as part of a packed lunch like me! Leftover sauce can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
Butternut Squash Sauce tossed with a combination of konjac noodles, spiralized zucchini, and homemade turkey taco filling.
This recipe was originally published on June 4, 2018.