Hearty Butternut Squash Pasta

I’m all about comfort foods lately. Probably because the cold winter weather is upon us…and I just want all the warm and cozy things.

And my Hearty Butternut Squash Pasta – totally fits the comfort food bill.

How to Pick a Gluten-Free Pasta

Growing up in an Italian household, pasta was a staple in our weekly meals – including my Nonna’s Lasanga every Sunday.

Unfortunately, in my early 20s, I discovered I was Celiac. At the time, most of my diet was bread, pasta and crackers. Not so great when gluten is causing mayhem in your gut.

Fortunately, I’ve found healthy and delicious gluten-free alternatives for all of my favourites – including pasta. I always ensure the pasta I buy is corn-free as it’s a common grain for gluten cross-reactivity.

• Cassava pasta – completely grain-free this option is made with the starchy tuberous root from the cassava plant. Try: Jovial.
• Organic brown rice pasta – one of the most readily available gluten-free options. Try: Jovial, Tinkyada or PC Organics.
• Quinoa pasta – often made from a combination of quinoa and rice. Try: GoGo Quinoa.
• Chickpea pasta – made from chickpea flour this option is high in protein and fibre. Try: Banza or Chickapea.

Ingredient Benefits for Acne Sufferers

Whenever I’m developing a new recipe I’m always trying to max out nutritional benefits and flavour. For main dishes, like my Hearty Butternut Squash Pasta, I also make sure there’s protein, fibre and healthy fats to help keep blood sugar stable.

While there are a ton of benefits to each individual ingredient, I’m going to highlight just a few below that are specific to acne sufferers.

Butternut Squash: high in the antioxidants vitamin A & C that help speed up the healing of breakouts, reduce inflammation and boost the immune system.

Shiitake Mushrooms: these fungi contain skin-healing selenium, reduce gut inflammation and support the immune system. 

Garlic: acts as a prebiotic which feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut – thus helping promote a more balanced microbiome.

Thyme: strong natural antimicrobial that helps fight opportunistic bacteria in the gut.

Rosemary: provides antioxidants that help fight oxidative stress that promotes acne, aging, and disease. 

Spinach: another source of the antioxidants vitamin A and vitamin C that help promote the production of collagen and cell turnover – which helps improve both elasticity and a more youthful appearance.

Parsley: rich in flavonoid antioxidants to help fight oxidative stress and reduce inflammation + a great source of vitamins A & C.

Grass-Fed Beef: high source of bioavailable protein which provides the body with amino acids needed for hormone production and building healthy skin tissue + provides mood-supporting B vitamins and skin-loving selenium & zinc. *Learn more about food labels, like grass-fed, here.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: rich in antioxidants, EVOO has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, supports healthy brain function and combats gut infections like H. pylori. 

Pro tip: add the garlic, greens and fresh parsley after you’ve turned the heat off to help retain all their beneficial properties.

Hearty Butternut Squash Pasta

A family favourite, this butternut squash pasta is total comfort food. It's both flavourful and belly-filling. Bonus? It's packed with skin-loving benefits.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Keyword: comfort food, pasta

Servings: 4 people

Author: Katie Stewart

Ingredients

• 340 gram package of noodles of choice
• 4 tbsp avocado oil (divided)
• 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 113 gram container of shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
• 3 cloves garlic (divided and minced)
• 2 tsp dried thyme (divided)
• 2 tsp dried rosemary (divided)
• 4 cups butternut squash (peeled and chopped into 1/2" cubes)
• 1 lb ground meat of choice (grass-fed beef, turkey, chicken, etc.)
• 2 cups baby spinach (roughly sliced)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Instructions

• Cook noodles according to package instructions.
• In the meantime, add avocado oil to a large pan and warm over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, 2 of the 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tsp of thyme, and 1 tsp of rosemary. Saute until onions are translucent and mushrooms soft (about 5-7 minutes).
• While the mushrooms are sauteing, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the squash and boil until fork tender (about 5-7 minutes).
• Once the squash is done, strain and add to a large bowl along with the onion/mushroom mixture.
• In the same pan, warm 1 tbsp of avocado oil over medium heat. Add the ground meat along with sea salt + remaining thyme and rosemary. Cook through.
• Once the meat is cooked, add to the large bowl with the onion/mushroom/squash.
• Then add the cooked pasta, spinach, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt to the bowl.
• Mix until the pasta is well coated with the veggies and seasoning.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

For the pasta, I used one box of Jovial’s Organic Brown Rice Fusilli.

For the squash, if you have the time consider roasting it in the oven at 400F for 30-40 minutes (or until fork tender). Drizzle with avocado oil beforehand and sprinkle with your desired herbs/seasoning. This will provide a delicious caramelized flavour to the squash.

To save time, purchase pre-diced and frozen butternut squash cubes.