Lemon Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with Roasted Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 1 small Hokkaido pumpkin (organic if possible)
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (for sauce)
- 1 small red onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon turmeric (for sauce)
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 lemon
- Salt to taste for sauce
- Optional: 1 teaspoon vegetable broth paste or powder
Roasted pumpkin seasoning
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Salt to taste
Additional
- 2 servings pasta of choice
Optional garnishes
- Fresh arugula
- Pumpkin seeds
Preparation
Wash pumpkin (peel if not organic), cut into 4 large pieces and clean out seeds and strings.
Cut everything into bite size chunks.
Dice onion and garlic, heat up 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and fry onions until fragrant, then add garlic, cashews and 2 cups of the cubed pumpkin. Continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, turmeric and coconut aminos.
Transfer to a blender, food processor or use a handheld blender and blend until sauce is smooth and creamy.
Add about 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and season to taste with salt.
For the roasted pumpkin, add remaining cubes to a bowl and toss with oil and spices.
Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for approximately 25 minutes at 375 F/190 C. Adjust baking time based on piece size.
Squeeze some lemon juice over roasted pumpkin when done.
Cook pasta according to package instructions
Add cheese sauce to pasta and enjoy.
