Butternut Squash Mac and “Cheese”

So Many Autumn Harvest Foods

October 9, 2021

For the butternut squash

1 large butternut squash, halved and seeded.
2 tablespoon vegetable broth or aquafaba (liquid from a can of garbanzo beans). Divided
pinch of salt
ground black pepper

✓ 1 cup (180 g) roasted butternut squash
✓ 1 tablespoon vegetable broth or aquafaba
✓ 3/4 cup (180 mL) unsweetened and unflavored soy, rice, or almond milk
✓ 1/2 tablespoon (12 g) potato starch or cornstarch
✓ 1/4 cup (20 g) nutritional yeast, or more to taste
✓ 2 teaspoons (10 mL) Dijon mustard
✓ 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
✓ 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
✓ 1 tablespoon (15 mL) fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
✓ 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, as desired
✓ ground black pepper, as desired
✓ 2 to 3 teaspoons (10 to 15 mL) chickpea miso (or other light miso), to taste
✓ 8 ounces (340 g) macaroni, mini shell, or rotini pasta, Penna, or any pasta of choice.(use gluten-free, if desired)
✓ Add-ins of choice (kale, spinach, broccoli, peas)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Brush 1 tablespoon vegetable broth or aquafaba onto the orange flesh of each squash half. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Place the halves cut side down on the baking sheet. Roast for about 35 to 50 minutes, uncovered, until a fork or knife easily slides through the squash. The skin will be lightly browned, and there are brown spots on the squash.
After the squash is finished cooking, flip it flesh-side up and let it cool for 10 minutes or so before handling.
While the squash is cooling, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and put pasta back in the pot.
While pasta is cooking, add the cheese sauce ingredients (vegetable broth (aquafaba, milk, starch, nutritional yeast, Dijon, garlic and onion powder, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and miso) along with 1cup of the roasted squash (simply spoon it out of the skin and measure). Blend on high until smooth.
Stir in all the cheese sauce to the cooked pasta. Add other add-ins if you would like. I like to add kale. Heat over medium and stir until sauce thickens. Add more salt and pepper to taste

Enjoy!