Butternut Mac & Cheese

If you know Stark then you already know this is a gluten and dairy-free twist on mac & cheese, but this is one of our most popular for a reason. The butternut squash adds some extra seasonal flavors to the dish, plus, while it is absolutely tasty in its own right, it also is unique enough that people don't instantly compare it to their favorite glutenous and dairy-full version of the dish. It's delicious, it's elevated, and it could be exactly what you need to convince any stubborn family members to try a food-sensitivity-friendly side this Thanksgiving!

INGREDIENTS
1 small butternut squash
1 cup cashews
12 oz gluten-free brown rice macaroni noodles
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup almond milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Place a large pot of water over high heat.
Peel, deseed, & cube butternut squash. Once the pot of water is at a boil, reduce the heat to medium and add the cubed squash and cashews to it. Cover and let cook for 12 minutes.
Drain the pot and let the cashews and squash steam for about 15 minutes. As they cool, cook your noodles according to the package, then set the noodles aside.
In a high-speed blender (or in a pot if using an immersion blender), add the squash, cashews, vegetable stock, almond milk, nutritional yeast,  mustard, and all the seasonings.
Blend it on high until it forms a smooth, creamy sauce. If it's too thick, add an extra tbsp of vegetable stock at a time and blend until it is smooth.
Place a large pot over low heat and add the cooked noodles, stirring until the noodles are well coated. Remove from heat and serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts per 2oz serving: 284 calories, 8.5g fat, 44g carbs, 8g protein