Butternut Squash Mac & Cheeze

Wow...wow...WOW!  This one you've got to try!  Please!  So creamy and cheesy!  And it's gluten and nut free (depending on the pasta you use.)  I saw this on one of my most favorite food blogs ever and knew I had to make it.  I zipped over to Sprouts as soon as I could to get a few ingredients I was missing and boy was it worth it.  I like this even better than my other favorite Mac & Cheese recipe.  Plus this one is virtually fat free!  I roasted my squash without any oil and the recipe does call for 1 Tbsp. non-dairy butter replacer but really I don't think you need it at all due to the way you make the sauce.  If you just whisk the flour into the milk while it's cold and then pour it into the saucepan then you don't need any extra added fats at all!  Cool!  


She also peels and cubes her squash before she bakes it but I find it's quicker and easier to just cut in half, scoop out the seeds, place cut side down in a baking dish with a little water and bake at 350 degrees for 45 min to an hour.  It practically falls out of the skin when it's done.  Much easier than peeling.  Another thing I always do when I'm roasting a butternut squash is to double it up and roast TWO at the same time.  If I have the oven on that long I might as well make good use of it!  I puree up the extras and freeze it in ice cube trays (like baby food) and then keep them in the freezer to throw in smoothies, soups, and now...to have on hand for even QUICKER Butternut Squash Mac & Cheeze!  Throw a cup of those into the cooking sauce and you're set!  My cheese sauce was very saucy but I added more squash than called for.  Probably an extra 1/2-1 cup.  So if you want it saucier add more squash.  It thickens as it sets.


I used the most beautiful green mustard greens instead of kale this time.  Any greens will do.  Spinach, collards, you name it.  I just halved the big leaves, stacked them all up, rolled them and then thinly sliced the roll (cinnamon roll style).  No need to cook or saute just throw them into the warm mac & cheese and they soften right up.  I doubled this recipe for my family of seven and we burned through it.  I'm posting the recipe with my changes.  If you want to see how the Glow Girl bakes her squash and makes hers go here.

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 fresh butternut squash (you will only use 1 cup cooked squash for this recipe-can also use frozen cubes or canned squash)

1 tbsp Earth Balance (or other non-dairy butter replacer), optional

1 cup unsweetened & unflavoured almond milk (or use rice or hemp milk if nut-free)

1 tbsp flour (or arrowroot powder or cornstarch)

5 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp kosher salt (or to taste) & ground black pepper, to taste

4 servings brown rice macaroni (8oz or half a 16oz package) makes 3 1/4 cup cooked

Mix-ins of choice (e.g., kale, spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, broccoli, peas, pumpkin seeds, etc)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Cut butternut squash in half.  Scoop out seeds with spoon.  Place cut side down in a casserole dish (or 9x13 pan.)  Add about 1/4-1/2 inch of water.  No need to cover with foil.  Bake for 45-60 min.  Test thick part for doneness.  If fork goes through easily then it's done.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the cheeze sauce in a pot on the stove top. Add Earth balance over low-medium heat.  (Or omit this step altogether.)   In a bowl, whisk together milk and flour (or arrowroot powder or flour) until clumps are gone. Add into pot and whisk. Stir in remaining ingredients (nutritional yeast, Dijon, garlic, S & P) and whisk over low heat until thickened (about 5-7 minutes or so).

3. Cook your pasta according to package directions. The sauce makes enough to cover 4 servings of pasta.

4. In a blender, blend the sauce with 1 cup of roasted squash (or if using canned or frozen cubes, simply stir 1 cup into the pot).

5. Add cooked, drained, and rinsed macaroni into pot, along with cheeze sauce & mix-ins. Heat and serve.

Yield:  4 servings or 1.5 cups of cheeze sauce

Note:  A 3.5 pound squash makes about 5 cups cooked squash.  So you should have about 4 cups leftover.