I don’t know about you, but every single dinner recipe I can think of these days includes some sort of squash as the main ingredient. I guess that means its squash season!

In this weeks recipe, we took a spin on one of your traditional comfort food favorites. This time however, we skipped out on the aftermath of bloating, indigestion, and constipation that is commonly caused from dairy products, and opted for a gluten free + vegan dish that still provides the creamy goodness you’ve always loved about this traditional dish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ready in under 30 minutes from start to finish, this plant based bowl provides one of your daily servings of veggies that is hidden behind the creamy and deliciousness flavor of cheese!

 

 

 

Whether you’ve been joining the CURED family in our weekly kitchen adventures, or just wandering through the blog for food inspiration, you will notice the CURED kitchen table is centered around health conscious, home-cooked meals that not only support optimal health, but also reap the benefits of our Colorado grown CBD.

Let’s cover the two highlighted ingredients of this weeks recipe:

 

CBD:

The signature spice in this weeks recipe is our classic Smoky BBQ. One of our savory favorites that gives your tastebuds a salty and spicy punch, that also balances out this creamy dish with its tangy flavor! Microdosing our spices can achieve sufficient daily cannabinoid levels which in turn helps regulate several bodily functions such as recovery, sleep, focus and more.

Nutritional Yeast:

Nutritional yeast, not to be confused with brewer’s yeast, is a popular food additive made from a single-celled organism which is grown on molasses, and that is a member of the fungi family (think mushrooms)! It is then harvested, washed, and dried for nutritional value use!

Nutritional yeast is packed with nutrients; it’s low in fat, gluten-free and contains no added sugars or preservatives. But most people don’t even know about those benefits and simply use it for its flavor.

Nutritional yeast has a strong flavor that can be best described as nutty, cheesy, or creamy, which makes it a staple in as an ingredient in cheese substitutes. It is the ingredient that puts the cheese in our our creamy mac and cheese.. it is crucial to a Mac and Cheese recipe, so I highly recommend you do not skip it!

                                                      

       Ingredients

• 2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
• 1/4 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 tsp CURED BBQ Spice 
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 7 oz or 200 g pasta of your choice (we used Banzo Chickpea Pasta)
• Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Add cage free chicken or hemp hearts for an extra protein boost!

Introductions

1. Steam the butternut squash for about 10 minutes or until it’s soft. We place a steamer basket in a pot, add some water and when it’s boiling we add the squash and cook it over medium-high heat. You can also boil or roast it.
2. Place the steamed squash in a blender with the rest of the ingredients (except the pasta) and blend until smooth.
3. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Salt addition is optional here! Time saver: Cook the pasta while you’re steaming the squash, that way you’ll save some time.
4. Mix the pasta and the sauce in the pot.
5. We love to add some fresh parsley on top, but it’s optional.
6. Store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or even freeze it. You can reheat this amazing dish, but add some milk because the sauce probably will be so thick.