Butternut Squash Bacon Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed 
• 16 oz. pasta (any shape!)
• 1 cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ lemon, squeezed
• ½ tsp Himalayan sea salt
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup Beyond Bacon Crunchy Mung Beans
• fresh parsley, optional for serving

Instructions

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil on the stovetop while you peel and dice the butternut squash,
2. Place the butternut squash into the boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the cubes are fork tender. 
3. Drain the butternut squash and set it aside. Rinse out the pot, then re-fill it with water and bring to a boil again.
4. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package instructions. 
5. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine the butternut squash with the rest of the remaining sauce ingredients (raw cashews, garlic, lemon, sea salt, paprika, and almond milk) in a food processor or high-speed blender and blend for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce is thick and creamy. Taste and add more Himalayan sea salt, if desired.
6. Drain the pasta, then to the pot and pour the cheese sauce over it, stirring until well-coated.
7. Serve immediately with Beyond Bacon Crunchy Mung Beans and fresh parsley sprinkled on top. 
8. Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat in the microwave before serving. 

recipe courtesy of Lauren at Flora & Vino