butternut squash Archives - Epicurean Vegan

Roasted Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Pasta {Gluten-free}

December 7, 2015 by Epicurean Vegan

This is a keeper. Creamy and savory, it’s a satisfying dish that everyone at the table is bound to enjoy. Potatoes and carrots make an ideal sauce for pasta, as we’ve seen with this dish, so why not butternut squash and sweet potatoes? Plus, I had some leftover coconut milk from these aww-mazing vegan peanut butter cup cheesecakes, which was perfect for this dish that was ready in about 45 minutes or less. And did I mention it was gluten-free?! Yes, you may dig in.

INGREDIENTS:
3 C cubed butternut squash, peeled (medium-sized)
2 C cubed sweet potato, peeled (medium sized)
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
Salt & pepper, to taste
8-oz gluten-free elbow macaroni
2 C chopped onion (medium-sized)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 C white wine
1-1/2 C vegetable broth (plus more for thinning out the sauce, if necessary)
3/4 C lite canned coconut milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 Tbs tamari

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, combine the squash and sweet potato with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, along with some salt and pepper (to taste). Spread out evenly on a large baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes.

About ten minutes into roasting the veggies, start the water boiling for the pasta. Cook it according to package instructions. I used Ancient Harvest quinoa pasta:

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet and add the onion. Cook the onion for about 10 minutes, and once it starts to brown, add the garlic; cook another 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the squash, sweet potatoes and onions to a blender. Add the wine, broth, coconut milk, Dijon, lemon juice, paprika, salt, nutritional yeast, and tamari. Blend several minutes until completely smooth. You’ll probably need to scrapes the sides of the blender once or twice. If it’s too thick, thin it out with a little more broth. Once the pasta is done, return it to the pot and add the sauce. Heat over medium-low heat. Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Pasta {Gluten-free}

This is a keeper. Creamy and savory, it's a satisfying dish that everyone at the table is bound to enjoy. Potatoes and carrots make an ideal sauce for pasta, as we've seen with this dish, so why not butternut squash and sweet potatoes? Plus, I had some leftover coconut milk from these aww-mazing vegan peanut butter cup cheesecakes, it was perfect for this dish, which is ready in about 45 minutes or less. And did I mention it was gluten-free?! Dig in.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

3 C cubed butternut squash, peeled (medium-sized)
2 C cubed sweet potato, peeled (medium sized)
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
Salt & pepper, to taste
8-oz gluten-free elbow macaroni
2 C chopped onion (medium-sized)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ C white wine
1-1/2 C vegetable broth (plus more for thinning out the sauce, if necessary)
¾ C lite canned coconut milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbs lemon juice
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
⅓ C nutritional yeast
1 Tbs tamari

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.
In a medium bowl, combine the squash and sweet potato with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, along with some salt and pepper (to taste). Spread out evenly on a large baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes.
About ten minutes into roasting the veggies, start the water boiling for the pasta. Cook it according to package instructions. I used Ancient Harvest quinoa pasta.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet and add the onion. Cook the onion for about 10 minutes, and once it starts to brown, add the garlic; cook another 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the squash, sweet potatoes and onions to a blender. Add the wine, broth, coconut milk, Dijon, lemon juice, paprika, salt, nutritional yeast, and tamari. Blend several minutes until completely smooth. You'll probably need to scrapes the sides of the blender once or twice. If it's too thick, thin it out with a little more broth. Once the pasta is done, return it to the pot and add the sauce. Heat over medium-low heat. Enjoy!

Manicotti stuffed with Butternut Squash, Spinach & Ricotta

September 22, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

It’s that time of year . . . butternut squash time, that is. The farmer’s market here has broken out the squashes, so expect some squash recipes in the coming months. You may be amazed by how versatile squash is. Before, I never would have made stuffed shells with butternut squash, but now, it’s one of my favorite pasta fillings.
Here’s a few other recipes to try:
Bowties with Butternut Squash
Butternut Squash and Mushroom Lasagna
And you could easily sub in butternut squash in these Sweet Potato and Ricotta Ravioli

And many of you know, I LOVE pasta, so if I can incorporate my favorite squash with my favorite Italian staple, I’m a happy vegan. These are also very easy to make, so you won’t be spending hours in the kitchen. You can even make up the filling ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to stuff the manicotti.

INGREDIENTS:
1 small butternut squash
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp sage
3 C spinach, chopped
1 handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 handful fresh chives, chopped
8-oz pkg. manicotti (14 manicotti)
1/2 recipe Tofu Ricotta (recipe below) or soy-free version
1 jar marinara sauce
Tofu Ricotta
14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tsp basil
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 C nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
Optional: 1/2 C Daiya Mozzarella shreds

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425. Slice the butternut squash in half, place on a baking sheet and lightly brush with the olive oil. I used a rimmed baking sheet and added some water to the pan to help keep the squash from drying out. Roast 30-45 minutes, or until the squash is softened; let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 375. Meanwhile, to prepare the ricotta, place all the ingredients, except the Daiya cheese, in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese.

Combine the spinach with the basil and chives.
When the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, scoop it out into a bowl and mash well. Season with salt, pepper and sage. (This is also a good time to get the water boiling for the pasta). Mix half of the ricotta mixture into the butternut squash and stir to thoroughly combine. Fold in the spinach and mix well. Store the rest of the tofu ricotta in an airtight container and save for another meal. You can also freeze it.
Be sure to NOT overcook the pasta—they’ll split easily and you won’t be able to stuff them. I had a couple start to split, so keep an eye on them. And don’t worry about them being under cooked because they will continue to cook and soften in the oven. After I drained the pasta, I poured them out onto a large baking sheet, otherwise, they’ll stick together in the colander and you don’t want that. The best way to stuff these would be with your freshly cleaned hands, but first, pour about 1/3 of the marinara on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Next. stuff each manicotti roll with filling and place in the pan.
Pour the remaining sauce on top, covering all of the manicotti. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Enjoy!

Manicotti stuffed with Butternut Squash, Spinach & Ricotta

Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

1 hour 25 mins

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 5-7

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp sage
3 C spinach, chopped
1 handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 handful fresh chives, chopped
8-oz pkg. manicotti (14 manicotti)
½ recipe Tofu Ricotta (recipe below) or soy-free version
1 jar marinara sauce
.
Tofu Ricotta
.
14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tsp basil
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
⅓ C nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
Optional: ½ C Daiya Mozzarella shreds

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Slice the butternut squash in half, place on a baking sheet and lightly brush with the olive oil. I used a rimmed baking sheet and added some water to the pan to help keep the squash from drying out. Roast 30-45 minutes, or until the squash is softened. Lower the oven temperature to 375.
Meanwhile, to prepare the ricotta, place all the ingredients, except the Daiya cheese, in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese.
Combine the spinach with the basil and chives.
When the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, scoop it out into a bowl and mash well. Season with salt, pepper and sage. (This is also a good time to get the water boiling for the pasta). Mix half ricotta mixture into the butternut squash and stir to thoroughly combine. Fold in the spinach and mix well. Store the rest of the tofu ricotta in an airtight container and save for another meal. You can freeze it.
Be sure to NOT overcook the pasta---they'll split easily and you won't be able to stuff them. I had a couple start to split, so keep an eye on them. And don't worry about them being under cooked because they will continue to cook and soften in the oven. After I drained the pasta, I poured them out onto a large baking sheet, otherwise, they'll stick together in the colander and you don't want that. The best way to stuff these would be with your freshly cleaned hands, but first, pour about ⅓ of the marinara on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Next. stuff each manicotti roll with filling and place in the pan.
Pour the remaining sauce on top, covering all of the manicotti. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Bowties with Butternut Squash

February 3, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

We decided that this is one of those dishes that could easily put you in a food coma if you’re not careful. (Like the cashew cheese pasta—happens to us every time). The sauce is a basic roux that I then added seasoning and some roasted butternut squash to. Next time, I think I’d add some mushrooms and peas, but this dish is also delicious with just the squash.

INGREDIENTS:
10-12 oz bowtie pasta
1 med butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
4 Tbs flour
1/3 C white cooking wine
1-1/2 C almond milk
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
3/4 tsp sage
Salt and pepper, to taste
vegan Parmesan, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, coat the squash with the olive oil, then spread onto a baking sheet. Roast the squash for 30-40 minutes, stirring them once halfway through.

Meanwhile, boil the pasta until al dente, then drain. But while the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the Earth Balance. Slowly add the flour and whisk until thick and smooth. Next, whisk in the white cooking wine and blend until smooth. Little by little, add the almond milk, whisking until thickened over medium heat. Add the nutritional yeast, sage, salt, and pepper. Fold in the squash and remove from heat. You can either keep the pasta and sauce separate, or combine the two. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Bowties with Butternut Squash

We decided that this is one of those dishes that could easily put you in a food coma if you're not careful. (Like the cashew cheese pasta---happens to us every time). The sauce is a basic roux that I then added seasoning and some roasted butternut squash to. Next time, I think I'd add some mushrooms and peas, but this dish is also delicious with just the squash.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

10-12 oz bowtie pasta
1 med butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½" pieces
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
4 Tbs flour
⅓ C white cooking wine
1-1/2 C almond milk
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
¾ tsp sage
Salt and pepper, to taste
vegan Parmesan, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.
In a medium bowl, coat the squash with the olive oil, then spread onto a baking sheet. Roast the squash for 30-40 minutes, stirring them once halfway through.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta until al dente, then drain. But while the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the Earth Balance. Slowly add the flour and whisk until thick and smooth. Next, whisk in the white cooking wine and blend until smooth. Little by little, add the almond milk, whisking until thickened over medium heat. Add the nutritional yeast, sage, salt, and pepper.
Fold in the squash and remove from heat. You can either keep the pasta and sauce separate, or combine the two. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Butternut Squash and Mushroom Lasagna

November 22, 2013 by epicureanvegan

Looking for Thanksgiving meal ideas? You’ve come to the right place! This lasagna, is downright amazing—your guests will be demanding the recipe. A similar dish that would also be great for Stuffed Bird Carcass on the Table Day, would be these Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells with Cashew Cheese. So this dish is definitely less complicated than you might think. I recommend preparing the squash and tofu ricotta ahead of time and keeping them in the fridge until ready to use. Because I didn’t saute the mushrooms, the only things I had to do come suppah-time, was boil the noodles and make the white sauce—both no-brainers . . . I promise. Speaking of noodles, I prefer to use the old fashioned kind simply because the no-boil ones are too short and I have found that they don’t always get cooked completely. Should your noodle preference differ from mine, that’s quite all right . . . you get to make those executive decisions in your own kitchen 🙂 I just like that I can cut the cooked noodles to fit my pan. Either way, this won’t disappoint!

INGREDIENTS:
1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced
4-5 garlic cloves
Olive oil
1/8 C almond milk
4-5 C mixture of shiitake and button mushrooms
Salt and pepper
15 + a few extra lasagna noodles
Tofu ricotta
14-oz tub extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tsp basil
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 C nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
Optional: 1/4 C vegan mozzarella, shredded
White sauce
1/4 C Earth Balance margarine
6 Tbs flour
1 C vegetable broth
1/2 C almond milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425. To prepare the squash, I recommend peeling the squash and dicing it up. I have found that if you’re going to just puree it anyway, this is the fastest way to roast a butternut squash. As long as you have a decent potato peeler, this step will be a breeze.

Toss in a bowl with a little olive oil and some salt and pepper. I decided I might as well roast some garlic too, so I took about 6 cloves, cut the tops off (leaving them in the skins), placed them on some foil, drizzled some olive oil on them, then loosely wrapped them up.

Spread the diced squash on a large baking sheet (along with the garlic) and roast for 30 minutes.

Next, transfer the squash and the garlic cloves (which should slip right out of the skins) into a food processor. Add about an 1/8 C of almond milk and puree. It’s up to you how smooth you want to puree the squash, but I recommend not having too many big chunks remaining. To prepare the ricotta, throw all of the ingredients in a food processor, except the cheese, and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and if using the cheese, stir it in.

Slice up the mushrooms. I had just about 4 cups of sliced shiitakes and since we’re obsessed with mushrooms, I decided that wasn’t enough, so I added some white button mushrooms . . . perfect.

Preheat oven to 375. To begin, I suggest starting the sauce about 5 minutes before you start the water for the noodles. In a medium saucepan, melt the Earth Balance, then whisk in the flour until fully incorporated and you have a thick paste. Add a little broth, then whisk until smooth. Do this until you’ve added all the broth. Whisk it constantly over medium heat until it begins to thicken. Slowly, and bit by bit, add the almond milk, whisking continuously until it thickens. Reduce heat and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Keep an eye on it and don’t let it burn. Hopefully by now, the noodles are about ready. Don’t over-boil them—they’ll cook more once in the oven. Otherwise, they’ll rip while assembling the lasagna. Rinse thoroughly with cold water to keep them from sticking to each other. Ladle some sauce on the bottom of the pan—not a lot; just enough to coat the bottom. I used a 9×13″ baking dish, so I placed 5 noodles vertically in the dish and cut a couple of inches off one end. Spread half of the squash mixture on the lasagna noodles. Then spread a couple of tablespoons of the tofu ricotta on each noodle. (I didn’t use all of the ricotta–I had about a full cup leftover). Next. layer on half of the mushrooms.

Repeat process with another 5 noodles, the rest of the squash mixture, more ricotta, and the remaining mushrooms. Top with the last 5 noodles and pour sauce on top. (I added a little more almond milk to the sauce because it had gotten a bit thick). Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then enjoy!

Butternut Squash and Mushroom Lasagna

This lasagna, is downright amazing---your guests will be demanding the recipe. A similar dish that would also be great for Stuffed Bird Carcass on the Table Day, would be these Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells with Cashew Cheese. So this dish is definitely less complicated than you might think. I recommend preparing the squash and tofu ricotta ahead of time and keeping them in the fridge until ready to use. Because I didn't saute the mushrooms, the only things I had to do come suppah-time, was boil the noodles and make the white sauce---both no-brainers . . . I promise. Speaking of noodles, I prefer to use the old fashioned kind simply because the no-boil ones are too short and I have found that they don't always get cooked completely. Should your noodle preference differ from mine, that's quite all right . . . you get to make those executive decisions in your own kitchen 🙂 I just like that I can cut the cooked noodles to fit my pan. Either way, this won't disappoint!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced
4-5 garlic cloves
Olive oil
⅛ C almond milk
4-5 C mixture of shiitake and button mushrooms
Salt and pepper
15 + a few extra lasagna noodles
Tofu ricotta
14-oz tub extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tsp basil
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
⅓ C nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
Optional: ¼ C vegan mozzarella, shredded
White sauce
¼ C Earth Balance margarine
6 Tbs flour
1 C vegetable broth
½ C almond milk
¼ tsp nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425.
To prepare the squash, I recommend peeling the squash and dicing it up. I have found that if you're going to just puree it anyway, this is the fastest way to roast a butternut squash. As long as you have a decent potato peeler, this step will be a breeze.
Toss in a bowl with a little olive oil and some salt and pepper. I decided I might as well roast some garlic too, so I took about 6 cloves, cut the tops off (leaving them in the skins), placed them on some foil, drizzled some olive oil on them, then loosely wrapped them up.
Spread the diced squash on a large baking sheet (along with the garlic) and roast for 30 minutes.
Next, transfer the squash and the garlic cloves (which should slip right out of the skins) into a food processor. Add about an ⅛ C of almond milk and puree. It's up to you how smooth you want to puree the squash, but I recommend not having too many big chunks remaining.
To prepare the ricotta, throw all of the ingredients in a food processor, except the cheese, and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and if using the cheese, stir it in.
Slice up the mushrooms. I had just about 4 cups of sliced shiitakes and since we're obsessed with mushrooms, I decided that wasn't enough, so I added some white button mushrooms . . . perfect.
Preheat oven to 375.
To begin, I suggest starting the sauce about 5 minutes before you start the water for the noodles. In a medium saucepan, melt the Earth Balance, then whisk in the flour until fully incorporated and you have a thick paste. Add a little broth, then whisk until smooth. Do this until you've added all the broth. Whisk it constantly over medium heat until it begins to thicken. Slowly, and bit by bit, add the almond milk, whisking continuously until it thickens. Reduce heat and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Keep an eye on it and don't let it burn.
Hopefully by now, the noodles are about ready. Don't over-boil them---they'll cook more once in the oven. Otherwise, they'll rip while assembling the lasagna. Rinse thoroughly with cold water to keep them from sticking to each other.
Ladle some sauce on the bottom of the pan---not a lot; just enough to coat the bottom. I used a 9x13" baking dish, so I placed 5 noodles vertically in the dish and cut a couple of inches off one end. Spread half of the squash mixture on the lasagna noodles. Then spread a couple of tablespoons of the tofu ricotta on each noodle. (I didn't use all of the ricotta--I had about a full cup leftover). Next. layer on half of the mushrooms.
Repeat process with another 5 noodles, the rest of the squash mixture, more ricotta, and the remaining mushrooms. Top with the last 5 noodles and pour sauce on top. (I added a little more almond milk to the sauce because it had gotten a bit thick).
Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then enjoy!

Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables

October 24, 2013 by epicureanvegan

My mom made this dish for me a few weeks ago and I’ve been anxious to make it for the family. It’s so easy to prepare. The only difficult part was actually finding this fancy little product . .

My mom had used Knorr’s Vegetable Homestyle Stock, but I had a hell of time finding it—or I should say, finding the vegetable flavor. Of course the beef, chicken, and low-sodium chicken ones seemed to be available, but us vegemites seem to get left out. I eventually found them at Safeway, but only one of the two Safeways in town (Taft and Drake for you locals). Anyway, this stock is ideal for this dish. It’s extremely concentrated; like a paste, so all I had to do was add a little water, and volia! it was ready.

The gnocchi on the other hand, was pretty easy to find . . .

INGREDIENTS:
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 large red onion, cut into big slices
1 large zucchini, cubed
1 large yellow squash, cubed
2 C carrots, cut into cubes/chunks
2-3 C mushrooms, quartered
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 tubs of Knorr Vegetable Homestyle Stock
2 (16-oz) pkgs. gnocchi

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400. Prepare all of the veggies. (When peeling a butternut squash, a decent potato peeler works just fine). Combine all the veggies (except the mushrooms) in a large bowl. Drizzle with just a tiny bit of olive oil and teensy bit of balsamic vinegar. You don’t want the veggies dripping with oil; use enough to just barely coat them. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet. I used two pans—the vegetables won’t roast evenly if the pan is too crowded; they’ll steam instead.

I roasted them for about 30 minutes before adding the mushrooms (that I prepared with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper). All ovens run differently and cooking time also depends on how large the vegetables are cut. Roast another 10 minutes or so. A good time to start the water boiling for the gnocchi would be right before you throw the mushrooms in. In a small measuring cup, combine two tubs of the Knorr stock with about 1/2 C of water. Heat in the microwave for about a minute.

The gnocchi will only take 3-5 minutes. I divided the drained gnocchi in half and added them to the two pans of veggies. I then poured 1/4 C of the stock to each pan and coated everything well. I ended up combining both pans into one . . .

That’s it! So delicious . . . enjoy!

Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 large red onion, cut into big slices
1 large zucchini, cubed
1 large yellow squash, cubed
2 C carrots, cut into cubes/chunks
2-3 C mushrooms, quartered
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 tubs of Knorr Vegetable Homestyle Stock
2 (16-oz) pkgs. gnocchi

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400.
Prepare all of the veggies. (When peeling a butternut squash, a decent potato peeler works just fine). Combine all the veggies (except the mushrooms) in a large bowl.
Drizzle with just a tiny bit of olive oil and teensy bit of balsamic vinegar. You don't want the veggies dripping with oil; use enough to just barely coat them.
Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a baking sheet. I used two pans---the vegetables won't roast evenly if the pan is too crowded; they'll steam instead.
I roasted them for about 30 minutes before adding the mushrooms (that I prepared with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper).
All ovens run differently and cooking time also depends on how large the vegetables are cut. Roast another 10 minutes or so. A good time to start the water boiling for the gnocchi would be right before you throw the mushrooms in.
In a small measuring cup, combine two tubs of the Knorr stock with about ½ C of water. Heat in the microwave for about a minute
The gnocchi will only take 3-5 minutes. I divided the drained gnocchi in half and added them to the two pans of veggies. I then poured ¼ C of the stock to each pan and coated everything well. I ended up combining both pans into one.
Enjoy!

Stuffed Shells with Butternut Squash and Cashew Cheese

May 28, 2013 by epicureanvegan

A BIG thank you goes out to Luminous Vegans for this outstanding recipe. When I saw it a couple of weeks ago, it immediately bookmarked it. This also reminds me a bit of the Sweet Potato Ravioli I made a while back, which was also a favorite. Everyone loved this—a keeper for sure. The only thing I did different was made a full box of jumbo shells (about 40 shells), otherwise, I followed the recipe as it was. These are not overly squashy tasting, thanks to the amazing cashew cheese. You can make the filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to use, which is a time saver, but not a must. From start to finish, it took me about an hour and a half of (easy) prep and cook time.

INGREDIENTS:
1 box jumbo shells
1 large butternut squash
1/3 C chives, chopped
1/3 C basil, chopped
salt and pepper
1 jar marinara sauce
Cashew Cheese:
2 C raw cashews, soaked in water for up to 2 hours, then drained
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs almond milk (I did add about another tablespoon)
1 tsp tahini (I accidentally used a tablespoon, hence, the extra almond milk, but it all worked out)
1/2 Tbs onion powder
1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 450. Cut the butternut squash in half. Roast for 30-45 minutes. Oven temps and cooking times vary, so check after 30 minutes; the squash should be tender and soft.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine all of the cashew cheese ingredients and puree until smooth. Pretty easy. In a medium bowl, combine the chives, basil, squash and about 1/2 to 3/4 C of the cashew cheese.

Season with salt and pepper.

Of course, while all this is going on, boil the shells (10-15 minutes). Once drained, stuff each shell with the filling. Don’t get too heavy handed—you can always add more to any of the shells.

Layer on the jarred marinara sauce. I used about 3/4 of a jar. The rest will be great for a quick spaghetti lunch this week.

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Stuffed Shells with Butternut Squash and Cashew Cheese

A BIG thank you goes out to Luminous Vegans for this outstanding recipe. When I saw it a couple of weeks ago, it immediately bookmarked it. This also reminds me a bit of the Sweet Potato Ravioli I made a while back, which was also a favorite. Everyone loved this---a keeper for sure. The only thing I did different was made a full box of jumbo shells (about 40 shells), otherwise, I followed the recipe as it was. These are not overly squashy tasting, thanks to the amazing cashew cheese. You can make the filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to use, which is a time saver, but not a must. From start to finish, it took me about an hour and a half of (easy) prep and cook time.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 box jumbo shells
1 large butternut squash
⅓ C chives, chopped
⅓ C basil, chopped
salt and pepper
1 jar marinara sauce
Cashew Cheese:
2 C raw cashews, soaked in water for up to 2 hours, then drained
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs almond milk (I did add about another tablespoon)
1 tsp tahini (I accidentally used a tablespoon, hence, the extra almond milk, but it all worked out)
½ Tbs onion powder
1 tsp salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450. Cut the butternut squash in half. Roast for 30-45 minutes. Oven temps and cooking times vary, so check after 30 minutes; the squash should be tender and soft
Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine all of the cashew cheese ingredients and puree until smooth. Pretty easy. In a medium bowl, combine the chives, basil, squash and about ½ to ¾ C of the cashew cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Of course, while all this is going on, boil the shells (10-15 minutes). Once drained, stuff each shell with the filling. Don't get too heavy handed---you can always add more to any of the shells.
Layer on the jarred marinara sauce. I used about ¾ of a jar. The rest will be great for a quick spaghetti lunch this week.
Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

December 9, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This was probably one of the strangest meals I ever made. Not in a bad way, just a strange process. This recipe is from my friend over at Kitchen Challengers and I finally got around to attempting it—I had never made gnocchi before, but have always wanted to, plus, I needed to veganize the recipe, which wasn’t hard. I suggest making the dough ahead of time and perhaps even having some help once it comes time to boil these squash pillows. The results were fabulous! I love squash, and combined with the seasonings and some vegan mozzarella, the gnocchi was savory and delish!

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 lbs butternut squash (I used one large and one small)
1 Tbs olive oil
1-1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer powder + 2 Tbs water
1-1/4 C flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 C Vegan Parmesan
5 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
2 Tbs fresh sage, chopped
1/4 C Vegan Rella

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425. Cut the squash in half, clean out the seeds and place in a baking dish with 1/2 C (I used about a cup) of water. Bake for 45 minutes. Using tongs, I transferred the squash to a cooling rack.

Once they have cooled enough to handle, scrape out the squash into a bowl and mash them. I used a pastry blender.

Mix in the egg replacer, flour, nutmeg, salt, pepper and vegan Parmesan. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. I did this step earlier in the day, so it sat in the fridge for a couple of hours. I think the longer the dough chills, the easier it is to use later.

Boil 6 quarts of salted water. So here comes the fun part. The recipe recommends using a pastry bag and kitchen scissors to create the gnocchi. It gave me a good excuse to head over to Bed Bath & Beyond to pick one up—I had been needing one anyway. I’ve also seen it where the dough can be rolled out by hand and cut into pieces. Either way will work . . .I’m sure. 😉

So squeeze out 1/2″-1″ “dumplings” and cut into the boiling water. You can cook about 20-30 at a time and within 2-3 minutes, little water-logged Cheetos, will rise to the surface—one by one. Using a slotted spoon or mesh strainer, fish them out and transfer to a large bowl of ice water.

After a few batches, I then transferred them to a bowl lined with paper towels. You will probably have to add more ice to the water once or twice until you have made all the gnocchi.

In a large skillet, melt the margarine and add the sage and gnocchi until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with mozzarella. Enjoy!

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