I think something a lot of us can do better with this year is taking the time to plan ahead and cook more. Even me, the food blogger, will have weeks where I never get to the grocery store and therefore end up ordering in or eating rice crackers and hummus for dinner five nights in a row.
Cooking during the week is just a good habit to get into. Lou and I are always out to dinner or ordering in on the weekends, and we are totally cool with that balance. So during the week I make a conscious effort to grocery shop and cook healthy meals.
Now when it comes to the Clean Program, preparation is key! You want to love what you’re eating, not get stuck in a situation where you’re starving and have no options. I loveeee this Butternut Squash Pasta with Broccoli and Kale, both on and off the cleanse. It’s so healthy, yet so satisfying. It’s also a great dish to make for a crowd, or to have for leftovers. 🙂
- 1 butternut squash peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes or 1 package of pre-cut butternut squash
- 1 full head of broccoli, chopped
- 1 package of gluten free pasta
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup of almond milk
- 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder
- 2 cups of chopped kale
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Place the cubed butternut squash and broccoli on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil, and add a generous dash of sea salt, and pepper and roast for 30 minutes until tender.
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- add the garlic and a little bit of oil to a pan. sauté the garlic until fragrant.
- Once the butternut squash is tender, set the broccoli aside and add the squash, garlic, 1 cup of the vegetable broth, almond milk, onion powder and another dash of sea salt and pepper to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Add in more vegetable broth if the sauce it too thick.
- Taste test to see if more seasoning is needed.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil to the same pan you cooked the garlic in.
- Add the chopped kale with a dash of sea salt and pepper, and saute until wilted and crispy. Set aside.
- Drain the pasta, and then pour the butternut squash sauce over the pasta and mix through.
- Fold in the broccoli and kale.
This looks amazing! I am always trying to find new recipes for meal prep.
Thanks Patty!
Thanks for helping me to see things in a difeerfnt light.
If i buy pre made butterNut squash soup, how much do i use?
Hi Bri, Iusually just start pouring the soup in and mixing it through until I feel like there is a good coating of sauce! I like to add some additional sea salt and cayenne as well 🙂
It looked delicious, but mine didn’t turn out that great in taste. maybe it was the ambiguous “to taste” in relation to salt and pepper? My dash of cayenne was a little too big. It’s close … but feels like it’s missing something. i would make a half-batch and use it as a side-dish, maybe being more generous with the salt and also adding a little parmesan or something to give it umph.
Hi Lynn, so sorry I never measure salt and pepper! I usually just add in a few shakes and then taste test, as everyone usually has a difference preference. I’ll make this again and provide some exact measurements, especially for the cayenne. And parm is always good! However this was a “Clean Cleanse” recipe, so no dairy allowed. 😉
This looks delicious! Do you by chance have the nutrition facts and serving size available?
Hi Devon! I don’t have the nutrition facts since people use different types of pasta, but you can always plus everything into MyFitnesspal.com! and it makes 3-4 servings. 🙂