A few days ago, I had a (mostly one-sided) conversation with my best friend about becoming a vegetarian. Contrary to what everyone seems to think, I am not a vegetarian, but I've been considering omitting meat from my diet. I only eat meat about three times a week, and whenever I cook, I tend to cook vegetarian meals because that's what I'm generally in the mood for. Also, Health Starts Here taught me that meat isn't entirely necessary for our diets. Yes, it's a source of protein, but I can also get protein from beans or tofu. However, I have a really busy schedule, so I don't have time to cook myself a healthy meal with vegetarian proteins every night. Also, I'm only 15, so I need lots of protein while I'm still young and growing. All teenagers do.
So what should I do? I'm pretty sure that I'm going to keep eating meat while I'm living with my parents. It's much easier for them when we have such busy schedules, and eating small quantities of meat won't hurt me. Also, my little brother is an incredibly picky eater, so we have to make him a separate dinner. I don't think my parents would be very happy if they had to make separate dinners for themselves, my little brother AND me. Even though I'm not a vegetarian (yet), I completely support people who are vegetarian or vegan, and I highly encourage that everyone should only eat meat 3 - 4 times a week. It's better for you and it's better for the environment!
Onto the recipe! I made this on Friday night after I saw a Butternut Squash Mac n' Cheese recipe on Twitter. I quickly glanced at it and saw that the sauce was just mashed butternut squash, and I knew that I could make the sauce way better. In my version, I pureed the squash with some almond milk and spices to make it smooth, rich and creamy. This recipe is vegetarian, but if you're vegan, you could easily omit the small amount of Asiago cheese that I sprinkled on top before baking. I posted a picture of it on Instagram, and many of you commented on the photo asking for the recipe, so here it is!
Serves 7 - 8
Ingredients
16 oz whole-wheat penne pasta
1 tsp virgin coconut oil
1 medium-sized head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
¼ cup whole-wheat panko bread crumbs
½ cup smoked paprika
½ cup freshly grated Asiago cheese (optional)
For sauce:
½ of a medium-sized butternut squash
1¼ - 1½ cups (depending on desired consistency) unsweetened, plain almond milk
1 garlic clove, peeled
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp dried parsley
½ tsp dried thyme
1½ tbsp nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the butternut squash open lengthwise. Remove the seeds from one half of the butternut squash. Scoop the coconut oil from the jar and soften it by rubbing it between your hands. Rub the coconut oil over the surface of the butternut squash half and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, turning the pan after 30 minutes. The squash will be done once the surface is golden-brown and the insides are soft throughout. Remove from heat and cool until the squash is safe to handle.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cauliflower florets. Cook according to the directions on the package. Once the cooking time is up, drain the contents of the pot into a colander and briefly rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process. Pour the drained pasta and cauliflower back into the pot.
3. When the squash is cool, loosen its flesh from its walls with a fork. Then, transfer that to a food processor or Vita-Mix. Make sure you get as much out of the squash as you possibly can. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and blend on a medium-high speed. You can add more almond milk if needed. The end result should be a very smooth squash puree with a fairly thick consistency.
4. Reduce the heat of the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour the sauce into the pot with the pasta and cauliflower. Mix thoroughly and adjust seasonings if needed. Add the contents to the pot to a 9x13 glass dish and spread it out evenly. Top with Asiago cheese, panko crumbs and smoked paprika (in that order). Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!
I hope you all enjoyed today's blog post! Please try this recipe - it's perfect for fall and I know you're going to love it. Please share your recreations with me on Instagram or Twitter using #teenscancooktoo, or email then to me at teenscancooktooteam@gmail.com. Don't forget to follow this blog and follow Teens Can Cook, Too at all of the social media handles below:
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