Recipe Re-Creation - Butternut Squash Pasta

Autumn brings my favorite flavors to the table. Last Fall, I had a delectable meal at a restaurant in Seattle that I couldn't stop thinking about: pasta with butternut squash sauce and kale. The sauce was sweet, creamy, complex, and just perfect for Fall. I kept pondering what was in that sauce (probably butter and cheese). Last week, I decided to attempt the recipe myself! Since we are mostly vegan, I wanted to make a delicious sauce without dairy. I chose my good friend, roasted garlic, for a complex sweet-savory note. To my delight, it was pretty darn good! I'm talking mac-and-cheese good, with less guilt. Behold, I bring you:

Pasta with Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Sauce
Serves 4 (Yummy as Leftovers)

1 medium butternut squash
1 head garlic (8-10 cloves)
1 shallot (optional)
1/2 cup nondairy milk (optional, I used coconut milk)
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 tsp Nutmeg
2 tsp Rubbed Sage
4 servings bowtie or spiral pasta
A few tablespoons olive oil
2 cups kale or spinach

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil.

Slice squash in half lengthwise. Scrape out seeds with a spoon. Peel skin with a vegetable peeler. Chop into 1-inch chunks.

Peel 8-10 cloves of garlic.

(optional) I added a chopped shallot to the mix, but I don't think he stood up to the more flavorful guys, so you can choose to omit.

Put veggies on baking sheets. Coat with olive oil, salt, red pepper, nutmeg, and sage. It will look like this:

Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, flipping the pieces over halfway through. They should be tender and caramelized. Reserve a handful of the cubes and garlic for topping the pasta. Try not to eat all of them.

Boil water in a large pot. Add 4 servings pasta and cook according to directions.

Now for the fun part! Puree those veggies up in the food processor!

I added 1/2 cup of coconut milk to the sauce for a little creaminess, but it will still be tasty if you leave that out. :)

For color and nutrition, I quickly sauteed some kale and spinach. The greens were delicious the first night but didn't reheat well. If you're planning for leftovers, I suggest packing those up before adding the greens.

Strain your pasta and return to pot. Add sauce and greens. (I had about a cup of leftover sauce, and I'm okay with that!)

Mix it up!

Plate and top with reserved squash and garlic.

Devour! 

Thanks, Mother Nature!