Oh man, this was delicious and not too difficult, just required a bit of planning. This takes a bit longer than my normal meals but was a nice, relaxing process. Very rich and flavorful - a complete meal.
For 4 servings, you will need:
- 1 c raw cashew pieces, soaked in a bowl of water at least 3 hours (this is what takes the planning)
- 1 carnival squash
- 1 t garlic powder
- 12 oz bag of pasta - I used veggie radiatore
- 1.5 c plain almond (or soy) milk
- 3 t apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 c nutritional yeast
- salt & pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 c fresh spinach, chopped
- 2 T coconut oil
- paprika
- some vegan parmesan, optional
The steps:
- Measure out raw cashew pieces into a medium bowl and completely submerg in water. Let soak for at least 3 hours. This will soften the nuts so that you'll get a smoother sauce.
- About an hour before you plan on eating, preheat the oven to 350
- Slice squash in half and remove seeds. Sprinkle garlic powder and salt on the squash.
- Place squash sliced side up in a casserole dish with a bit of water in the bottom (about 1/2''). Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until fork tender.
- Remove squash from oven. While squash are cooling, start pasta cooking according to directions on the bag/box. Aim for al dente.
- While pasta is cooking, measure out cashews, 1 c of almond milk, vinegar, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, and garlic cloves and place in food processor. When the squash is cool enough to touch, scoop out the insides and place it in the food processor.
- Now, really process that sauce very well until it is very smooth. I did it in about 4, 3 minute bursts. Scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed. Taste and add salt if needed. Add more almond milk to get it smoother about halfway through the blending process.
- Once pasta is done cooking, drain.
- Heat coconut oil in a skillet and quickly saute spinach for about 3 minutes, until just wilted and bright green.
- Return the drained pasta to its pot, add cheese sauce and spinach, and gently fold in.
- Serve into bowls and sprinkle with vegan parmesan and paprika.
Enjoy!
