Mac & Cheeze Pasta Bake

Mac & Cheeze Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

For the pasta and sauce:

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided
• 2 cups dry elbow noodles
• 2 medium onions 1 tsp pepper
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Dijon
• 2 cups plant milk (unsweetened, unflavoured)
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

 For the veggies:

• 1 bunch of green onions
• 3 cups chopped kale (or spinach)
• 2 heads of broccoli

 For the seasoned bread crumb topping:

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt

Method:

For the sauce:

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Peel the squash, cut off the top and bottom, stand the squash up and cut it in half down the middle. Remove the seeds with a spoon and chop the squash into “half moons”. Place chopped squash into a mixing bowl and toss with 1 tsp of salt and 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast on 425F for 30 minutes, or until soft.
2. Bring a pot of salted water on the stove to a boil and cook your noodles according to the package directions. Once cooked, strain off in a colander and run cold water over them to stop them from over cooking.
3. Dice onions and mince the garlic.
4. Put the pot on medium-high heat and saute onions in 1 tbsp avocado oil with the pepper and another tsp of salt. Once onions are translucent add in garlic and cook for another minute.
5. Next, add in lemon juice, Dijon, plant milk and nutritional yeast and bring up to a low simmer.
6. Once the squash is roasted, add it to the pot, stir together and then combine in a blender and blend on high until smooth.

For the veggies:

1. Slice the whole bunch of green onions in 1/8-inch-thick pieces, finely chop the kale and cut the broccoli into small florets (no bigger than 1 inch squared).

For the topping:

1. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix them thoroughly until they are combined.

Making the pasta bake:

1. Drop the oven temperature to 400F.
2. Combine pasta, sauce, green onions, kale, and broccoli in a bowl and mix together.
3. Pour the saucy pasta into a 9X13” pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle the seasoned bread crumbs evenly on top and bake in the oven for 25 minutes (check after 20 mins).

Tip: Once the broccoli is cooked the pasta is done.

Recipe by: Jack Middleton