Kuri Squash [Vegan] Mac & Cheese

Welcome to yet another episode of me sharing the first time I tried traditional American foods.

Now, I don’t remember exactly when I tried mac & cheese for the first time; but I do remember which mac I tried: it was the kind that you microwave for 1 minute exactly, that comes with a gross looking neon orange powder.

Having grown up in a household with limited processed foods, I was not a fan.

me to the gross 1 min microwave radiactive powdered "mac and cheese"

But over time, I had real mac and cheese.

Something made on the stove. That took more than 60 seconds to make. With ingredients that didn’t look like they would survive a nuclear holocaust.

And I obviously fell in love.

There was just one problem:

It always made me feel like shit.

All the butter, cream, flour, and cheese would make me constipated AF, bloated for days, and not feeling my most sparkly self.

So I set out to make a mac that would be equally as decadent without the bloat.

And it’s safe to say I achieved that.

the face of a satisfied girlie

This Dish

dairy free, gluten free kuri squash mac & cheese with a crispy gochugaru topping

The Benefits

even though it’s so decadent, this mac is actually great for your gut health & mood:

• Kuri squash is high in fiber and water, which aid in smoother digestion and help to relieve constipation. Its beta-carotene and vitamin C support the gut lining and strengthen immunity, which can reduce inflammation in the gut

• As a fermented food, miso introduces beneficial probiotics into your gut, promoting a healthy microbiome and improving digestion. Probiotics from miso can reduce bloating by balancing gut bacteria, especially if you have an imbalance

• ACV has acetic acid, which supports stomach acidity and helps with digestion by breaking down food more efficiently. This can ease bloating and increase nutrient absorption

• Cashews contain magnesium and tryptophan, both of which support the nervous system. Magnesium calms the nervous system and can help reduce stress and anxiety, while tryptophan aids in serotonin production, improving mood

• Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil provide quick energy and may have mood-stabilizing effects due to their fast absorption. Coconut oil’s anti-inflammatory properties can also benefit overall brain health, which contributes to mood regulation

• Nutritional yeast is a rich source of B vitamins, including B6 and B12, which are essential for energy and nervous system function. These vitamins help manage stress and can stabilize mood, making you feel more balanced

• Traditional mac and cheese relies heavily on dairy and refined pasta, which can contribute to bloating, constipation, and sluggish digestion, especially for those sensitive to lactose. The dairy-free alternative made with kuri squash, cashews, and nutritional yeast mimics the creaminess of cheese while delivering fiber, healthy fats, and essential vitamins that support gut health, mood, and nervous system function

The Recipe

Ingredients:

• Sauce ingredients:

  • 1 cup cooked, mashed kuri squash (can sub pumpkin, butternut, or acorn)

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked

  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard

  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast

  • 7 tbsp white miso

  • 1-2 cloves garlic

  • 6 tbsp tapioca starch

  • 2.5 cups water

  • 4-10 tbsp refined coconut oil (the more you use, the more it'll taste like real Mac & cheese)

  • 1 tbsp ACV

  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• Pasta of choice--I used GF brown rice shells, but you can use whatever you want! the sauce is enough for 3-4 boxes of pasta

• Topping ingredients:

  • 2-3 tbsp brown rice flour

  • 2 tbsp arrowroot flour

  • 1 tbsp ish gochugaru (you can sub regular red chili flakes)

Instructions:

1. soak cashews overnight, or for 10 minutes in hot water

2. preheat oven to 400F convection roast

3. roast your pumpkin (or kuri squash) until cooked through

   1. wash your squash, remove the seeds, and chop

   2. roast until cooked through-- 25-30 min, depending on how big your pieces are

4. scoop out 1 cup of squash flesh, and blend with cashews, dijon, nutritional yeast, miso, water, tapioca, coconut oil, ACV, and nutmeg. blend until super smooth

5. bring some water to a boil. I recommend using a relatively shallow & oven safe pan/pot/skillet, so you don't have to dirty more dishes. I used a cast iron skillet, I'll link the one, but keep in mind I only cooked 1 package of noodles in the reel. it wouldn't hold more than that. on thanksgiving, I plan on using a larger braiser

6. cook your pasta according the package instructions, but stop it a minute or two short

7. dump out most of the pasta water, but leave in a bit

8. add the sauce and stir

9. use a fine mesh sieve to sprinkle on the flour, top with red pepper flakes & avocado oil

10. put in the oven, turn on the broiler, and let the top crisp up and char a bit. keep your eye on it because it happens quick (well under 10 minutes)

Logistics:

• You can make the sauce a few days ahead of time

• The sauce is enough for 3-4 boxes of pasta; so you can use that to gauge how many of your people that would feed

Links:

• I've been using this miso lately and I LOVE

• This is my fav dijon

• I use this tapioca flour

• These are the brown rice shells I used

• My cast iron skillet

• Hopefully I didn’t miss anything, but just in case, here is a roundup of links to my common recipe ingredients

For More on Gut-Friendly Recipes

If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy my Miso Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Pumpkin Spice Granola from the Thanksgiving series; the Thanksgiving-Themed DeBloat Gummies; my Truffle Potatoes; and my canned-style cranberry sauce;

and

If you want more recipes that will help you debloat & eliminate regularly, I highly recommend checking out my [free] Gut Health Cookbook, which has 5 yummy, gut-friendly, recipes. You can download it here.