Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheeze
Trick or Treat? On this Halloween evening, I made a special dinner treat! I’d planned to make these cookies too, but those will have to wait until the weekend!
Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheeze
To celebrate the colors & flavors of the season, I prepared this rich & creamy dish from Oh She Glows. I made this for my Mom a few weeks ago when she returned home from the hospital & was craving something comforting. This dish has all the comforts of dairy based macaroni & cheese, but with a nourishing, low fat & healthful twist. We absolutely loved it & I couldn’t wait to make it again!
The “cheeze” sauce is an ultra decadent mix of roasted butternut squash, earth balance, almond milk, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, garlic powder & salt & pepper, blended until smooth in the Vitamix. I found that the pasta really absorbed the sauce & I prefer my mac extra creamy, so this time I made a double batch & saved the leftover sauce to drizzle over steamed broccoli & cauliflower.
The recipe calls for brown rice elbows, which I’ve had a tough time finding. I used traditional semolina elbows the first time, & this time I used quiona shells. I didn’t love the chewiness of the shells, so I am going to remain on the hunt for brown rice pasta! I used steamed kale as my “mix in” but you can use any veggie you like! I also topped my dish with a sprinkle of pepitas!
This is truly one of the best vegan mac & cheeze recipes I’ve ever tasted. I cannot wait to try OSG’s Pumpkin Cheeze Sauce next! Who knew that healthy comfort food could be just as good, if not better, that what most people are used to! Omnivores will devour this & I think this would be a beautiful kid-friendly addition to a gentle Thanksgiving table.
Happy Halloween!
