Butternut Squash Pasta

Since giving up meat, finding dinner recipes that everyone in my house can enjoy has been quite difficult. My husband is a big meat eater, and well...he wasn't really thrilled at the idea of me going vegetarian on him. However, he's found most of the recipes I'm making to be quite satisfying, despite the lack of meat. I have to say that I was actually a little scared to make this because I absolutely despise butternut squash, but after trying it I was completely blown away. Not only was it healthy, it was absolutely delicious. My kids were completely convinced that this was good ol' mac and cheese and they devoured it! This recipe will definitely be added to our favorites list!

Butternut Squash Pasta - Adapted from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 Box Rotini Pasta
3 Cups Butternut Squash, mashed
1 T Olive Oil
2 T minced garlic
2 T whole wheat flour
2 C milk (I used 1%)
1 Bag Frozen peas
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and return to pot, set aside.

Heat olive oil and garlic in pan over medium heat, about three minutes or until garlic is golden. In a bowl, whisk together milk and flour. Pour milk mixture into the pan slowly, stirring constantly as you pour it in. Add mashed/pureed squash to the pan and stir until combined. Bring mixture to a boil and then turn down to a simmer, allowing the sauce to thicken. Once sauce is thicked, stire in frozen peas and simmer for another 5-10 minutes until peas are cooked through.

Pour sauce mixture into the pot of drained pasta. Add cheddar and parmesan cheeses and stir until cheese has melted. Serve.