Things needed

• 1 squash (Butternut or medium sized acorn preferred)
• 2 red or orange bell peppers sliced
• 7 to 10 oz of green leafy vegetable chopped and washed (collard greens, spinach, kale, etc)
  • NOTE: The weight should be post prep. Keep this in mind if you are removing stems.
• 32 oz of veggie broth
• 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
• 12 oz of protein of choice (tuna, veggie crumbles, cooked ground meat, etc)
  • NOTE: (again) this is post prep. Ex. If using a canned item, the weight should be based on the protein after drained.
• 16 oz of pasta of choice (fusilli used here – it is a favorite)
• 16 to 24 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
  • The amount used is a sliding scale based on the type of cheddar. If using a mild cheddar, use closer to 24 oz. If using a sharp cheddar, use closer to 16 oz.
• Olive oil and seasoning of choice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 F

Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Cover with “Everything Spice”/”Italian Seasoning” or your seasoning of choice.

Place face DOWN in a pyrex or glass pan with a bit of olive oil. Cook for 60 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 1 to 2 hours (this allows the skin to peel away from the squash).

Add bell peppers, garlic and skinned squash into a blender.

Cook greens, the same spices used on the squash and a bit more olive oil in medium sized soup pot over a medium flame until they are cooked down to about 1/3 to 1/4 of their prior size.

Add the cooked greens to the blender. KEEP THE POT FOR LATER USE!! (do not rinse)

Add about 1/3 of the broth to the blender and puree til smooth.

Use the same pot as before (see? I told you to keep the pot) add pasta, protein, puree, cheese and remaining broth.

Heat over medium/high until the pasta is tender (for fusilli – that is anywhere from 10 to 16 minutes).

Once the pasta is tender, remove from stovetop and let sit for about an hour (otherwise the cheese is still melted and no one wants soupy mac & cheese).

This makes 7 to 8 servings and can be frozen for up to about 2 weeks.