(*UPDATED RECIPE*) One of my favorite comfort foods to indulge in is macaroni and cheese. This healthy, plant-based twist on the classic creamy pasta dish will have your taste-buds saying WOW! This recipe was inspired by LeAnne Campbell’s “Macaroni Squash” from The China Study Cookbook.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup non-dairy milk (unsweetened)
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons miso paste
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon salt, add more as needed
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 whole sweet onion
• 2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups dry macaroni noodles
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (optional)
• 1 cup vegan cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut skin off of squash, cut squash in half, and scrape out insides and seeds.
2. Cut squash into small cubes and boil in a bot of water for 20 minutes or until very tender. After the first 15 minutes, add raw cashews to the boiling squash water for the remaining 5 minutes. Once tender, turn off heat.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Dice whole onion and sauté with sliced mushrooms in a non-stick skillet until slightly caramelized. Salt and pepper to taste. Once cooked, turn off heat and set aside.
5. In salted water, boil macaroni noodles until almost tender (do not cook entirely, baking in oven will cook them the rest of the way). Drain and set aside.
6. Drain and transfer squash and cashews to a large blender. Add non-dairy milk, nutritional yeast, miso paste, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until creamy (sauce should not be super chunky). (Tip: If sauce does not seem creamy enough, add a little more non-dairy milk and blend in a smaller Nutribullet smoothie blender).
7. In a large baking dish, combine noodles, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and sauce mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes. (Optional: top with vegan cheese and/or breadcrumbs before putting dish into the oven).