Toast Kitchen: Butternut Squash Mac n' Cheese

This recipe has been pinched from the wonderful Angela at Oh She Glows

Before I begin, I'd just like to make a few Toast Chef notes:

a) I have adapted the recipe to be double in sauce quantity. Two reasons for this: one, it was not saucy enough! And two, at least with lots of cheesie sauce, you can put in as much as you like, and put some by for wraps or other dishes. Magic.

b) In future, I might have a little play around with the cheesie sauce. I think it would do much better with some houmous. Just a theory, so don't all go chucking big dollops of hoummie in your sauce. I'll post a revised cheese sauce recipe once I get round to it.

I've tweaked other elements a wee bit too.

But all in all, this was scrummy!

Ingredients:

{7 cups} butternut squash, peeled and cubed
{1 and 1/2 - 1 and 3/4 cups} raw cashews
{2 cups} non-dairy milk, plus more if you want to thin out the sauce
{6 cloves} garlic, chopped
{2 tbsp} fresh lemon juice
{4 tsp} sea salt
{12-13 tbsp} nutritional yeast
{1 tsp} dijon mustard
{1 tsp} mixed herbs
{1 tsp} tumeric powder
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
{1 tsp} paprika, and more to season (I used a bit of smoked paprika as well as the normal)
{4.5 cups} pasta of your choice (I used riccioli because it was pretty, and it was wonderful)

Mix-ins: it's really up to you. I used mushrooms, but peas or brocolli would also be good.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line a tray with a sheet of baking paper. In a bowl, season the butternut squash with 2 tsp oil and a some sea salt/black pepper. Massage the seasoning into the butternut pieces.

Tip on to the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Halfway through, make sure to flip over the butternut chunks - it ensures even roasting.

2. In a food blender, process 1-2 pieces of wholemeal bread and 1 tbsp of vegan spread (like Pure Soya).

Crumbs should form. Set them aside.

3. Now, blend up the cashews until they have reached a floury consistency. Add in: non-dairy milk, garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, mixed herbs, tumeric powder, ground pepper, and paprika. Whizz 'em all up until smooth and crrreeeaaaammmmyyy. Leave the sauce where it is - the squash needs to go in.

4. Cook the pasta according to the packet directions. When the squash is done, add it to the sauce and process until smooth. Adjust the seasoning if it makes you happy. The sauce will begin to thicken up after a little while, so keep some milk to hand to thin it out.

5. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water.