When I asked my Power House team mates about 2 different recipes to choose from for the week, they all went with Pad Thai. While this is an excellent choice, this new little nugget blew me out of the water and I think it’s going to make repeat appearances in lots of homes. I even think it’s going to be kid friendly, but that theory is not tested yet. It looks a little like Mac and Cheese but that’s where the similarity ends. This recipe is rich in flavor, healthy nutrients, gluten and dairy free and vegan friendly. The only thing I would do differently next time is, more shells. Because I was cooking for one and it was an experiment, I cut back on the recipe. The sauce ratio to the noodles asked for is JUST RIGHT!!
16 oz. pasta shells (I used Banza shells made with chickpeas and they were delicious and perfect consistency. You’ll need 2 boxes) Cook as directed on the package
In a skillet: Cook the following till squash is soft)
1 Tbl. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
12 tsp sea salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups veggie broth
4 c. peeled diced butternut squash ( for a time saver: buy it peeled and cut in the frozen section of the grocery)
1 Tbl. soy sauce (low sodium)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika (smoked or sweet)
1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 c. unsweetened plain almond milk
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbl. nutritional yeast
I used an immersion blender on the above ingredients for a smooth sauce. Add the sauce to the drained pasta. Use a 2 qt. greased baking dish and top with topping.
TOPPING: blend these ingredients with a spoon till it looks like parm cheese)
1/2 c. almond flour
1 tsp. dried Thyme (start with 1/2 tsp. this is pretty strong and less is more..especially for kids and picky eaters)
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 Tbl. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbl. olive oil
Bake at 350 or until bubbly.
*My picture has a little more green tint because I used 1 tsp. of Thyme I am including a picture of preparing the sauce just for fun! 🙂
