FEATURED RECIPE: Vegan Butternut Mac & Cheese (aka Roasted Butternut Alfredo)
DISCLAIMER: the following content does not necessarily represent the beliefs, values and opinions of Everyone’s
Harvest as a whole. These blog posts are written by individuals associated with this organization and are their
personal views of food and our food systems. The sole purpose and mission of Everyone’s Harvest remains the same:
“to create vibrant, healthy communities and equitable food webs.”
Recipe by Isa Chandra
Blog and recipe revisions by Chiara Cabiglio, Everyone’s Harvest Intern
You’re probably thinking to yourself that a good old fashioned macaroni and cheese is impossible without, well, cheese.
Think again. This mac and cheese recipe is creamy, delicious, and flavorful, and it looks exactly like mac and cheese, except
it does not have cheese! It has organic, plant-based, whole-grain goodness all in one bite!
Not only is this recipe delicious, but it also is sustainable and environmentally friendly. Perhaps the most important and
spectacular thing about this recipe is that it is in fact a part of the solution to climate change, environmental degradation,
health care, obesity, diabetes, cancer and other diseases, overfishing, energy, global outbreaks such as swine flu, global
depletion, world hunger, species extinction, animal cruelty, and much more. This recipe, including the Fresh Veggie Rolls
with Mango Salsa and Savory Almond Dipping Sauce, Butternut Squash Stuffed with Chard and White Beans, Cashew Cream
and Spinach Stuffed Portobellos, and Penne Pasta with Vegetables, Fresh Herbs, Walnuts and Mozzarella recipes, enable us
to live and eat consciously, sustainably and simply so that others may simply live. So that the human race and future
generations may simply live, as well as the polar bears and thousands of other species that currently are on the brink of
extinction.
The clock is ticking. Let’s vote with our forks! Imagine if more people ate this way. Imagine if more people
ate less meat, fish and dairy, and/or replaced these with better alternatives. Individually and collectively, we would create
positive change and see Mother Earth begin to heal.
So let’s start cooking this delicious and sustainable meal!
Directions:
1/2 pound pasta (see note) (I used two boxes of Andean Dream Organic Quinoa Pasta Gluten and Corn-Free Shells. You can
buy this pasta at Whole Foods).
Sauce:
1/2 cup organic cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
1 1/2 cup organic vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups organic roasted butternut squash (see note) (from your local farmers’ market)
2 tablespoons mellow white miso (non-GMO)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh organic lemon juice
For the rest:
1 tablespoon organic olive oil
1 medium yellow organic onion, quartered and thinly sliced (from your local farmers’ market)
3 cloves organic garlic, minced (from your local farmers’ market)
1 teaspoon dry rubbed organic sage
3/4 cup dry white wine
Several dashes fresh black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
about 1/2 cup organic whole-grain breadcrumbs
For garnish:
Extra roasted organic squash
Pepitas, or chopped organic pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts
Once the squash has roasted, bring a salted pot of water to boil for the pasta. When boiling, cook pasta according to package
directions, drain and set pasta aside in the pot. If you are making the macaroni and cheese, undercook the pasta so that it is
still somewhat firm.
Meanwhile, drain the cashews and place them in a blender with the vegetable broth. Blend until very smooth. Rub sauce
between your finger and when hardly any grittiness remains, add the roasted butternut, miso, nutritional yeast (if using) and
lemon juice. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to make sure you get everything.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
While the sauce is blending, start the onions. Preheat a large cast iron pan over medium heat, saute onions in olive oil and a
pinch of salt for about 7 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds or so, just until fragrant. Mix
in the sage and pepper. Then add the wine and salt and turn the heat up to bring wine to a boil. Let boil for about two
minutes, to reduce a little.
Turn down the heat to medium low. Now add the butternut cream to the pan, and stir to incorporate the onions and
everything. Heat through, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. The sauce should thicken a bit. Taste for salt and
seasonings.
Set aside some of the sauce (you can reserve a cup or so for veggies if you’d like to throw some on top.) Pour sauce onto pasta
in pot and stir to coat. Place coated pasta in an oven-safe casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs. Place dish uncovered in the
oven for about 10-15 minutes.
Serve topped with additional roasted squash and a sprinkle of nuts.
ENJOY! 🙂
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