Vegan Macaroni Squash & The China Study Cookbook
This vegan recipe comes from The China Study Cookbook. It’s a gluten-free pasta recipe made creamy using squash.
China Study Cookbook Review
Hi and happy Monday to ‘ya! I was sent a copy of The China Study Cookbook recently for a review. The book features over 120 healthy, plant-based recipes and was written by Leanne Campbell, Ph.D., who is the daughter of the China Study scientist, T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.
This cookbook sounded right up my alley, so I was thrilled to receive a copy and check out some of the recipes. It starts with a nice introduction by the author who describes her journey to a plant-based diet including the influence of the work of her father and her experience as a member of the Peace Corps working in the Dominican Republic.
She includes a Q&A section on how to raise plant-based kids and an overview of how to build a healthy lifestyle in the midst of busy, modern living.
Macaroni Squash Recipe
When selecting a recipe to share with you, my interest was peaked by the Macaroni Squash, especially because I had two pre-cooked sweet potatoes in the refrigerator just begging to be used.
I substituted the sweet potatoes for the butternut squash and used my favorite brand of gluten-free pasta (Tinkyada brown rice spirals), and boy, oh boy, was I rewarded with a delicious, satisfying dish. Here’s what it looked like before I baked it (I left out the salt in the recipe and topped the whole thing with some dried oregano):
To make it a more well-rounded meal, I served my serving with some steamed spinach just dressed with a squeeze of fresh lemon:
I was more than pleased with how well this dish turned out and I can’t wait to make more of the recipes including the Spicy Pumpkin Soup, Dominican Beans, and No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars. I love that all of the recipes have pictures, too, which I find to be an enticing feature of any cookbook.
I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.
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Macaroni Squash from The China Study Cookbook
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
A vegan and gluten-free macaroni squash recipe that is perfect for kids and adults
Ingredients
- 1 16-oz box cooked whole wheat macaroni (I used gluten-free pasta)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
- 2 cups cooked butternut squash, mashed
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ½ cup soy milk
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Place cooked macaroni in a large baking dish and set aside.
- Saute onion and garlic with 2 tablespoons vegetable broth in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add squash and cook until just heated through. Add to macaroni and mix well.
- Process cashews, milk, water, nutritional yeast, and miso in a food processor until smooth.
- Pour over macaroni mixture and mix well. Season with salt. Then cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes.
- Tip: Butternut squash can be purchased both in the frozen food section and in the produce section
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, gluten-free
Keywords: macaroni squash, vegan macaroni, china study cookbook
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I got this recipe book recently – haven’t tried this recipe yet but now i’m going to lol
Everything i’ve tried so far has been great 😀
Ooooh, that does look yummy!
I recently ordered this book and I agree that it has a lot of great pictures. I’ve yet to make any of the recipes, however – I need to get going on that!
Let me know which recipes you try, Amy! I have only made the Macaroni Squash but I like how there are so many easy ones like that Spicy Pumpkin Soup.
Your site is just full of wonderful dishes. I do not know where to start. Though vegan if healthy, if I have to cook everything and eat them too, I will “bulge” . With all these recipes here, I am just so confused. Thanks.
This book has the best recipe ever for mayonnaise. I think cashews are the secret ingredient. I also love the way she demonstrates how to cook for a family with older children. But seriously, check out the mayo!!
Will do, thanks Caroline! 🙂
Carrie,
It looks delicious! But I am a bit concerned about heating nuts… You mentioned that “It is okay for nuts to be roasted up to 170-200 degrees F”
but this recipe requires nuts to be heated to 350˚F. Did you cook cashew this way?
Hi Michelle, the concern with cooking nuts at a high temperature is the formation of acrylamides. However, occasional intake isn’t that big of a deal, I have heard Dr. Fuhrman say that a few tablespoons of roasted nut butter is okay every week so this recipe would fall into that category of occasional intake.
That is assuring! Thank you Carrie! Does the same thing apply to hemp seeds and flax seeds? I see a lot of baked goods recipes with ground flax seeds and hemp seeds in cupcake and pancake etc. But I was not sure about if it is healthy.
Oh and when you are in NYC, you should dine at quitessence in East Village. It is organic raw vegan restaurant! They have fofu, which is their version of raw tofu.
Yes, Michelle, I think that some baked flax is fine, there is even research supporting that (I’m not sure about the hemp seeds, though, I usually try to keep those raw, just to preserve the omega-3’s). I don’t know if there are any black and white rules for this situation, though, ya know? Thanks for the restaurant recommendation, there are so many options, I can’t wait!!! 🙂
Carrie,
I see…you mentioned that there is even research supporting that. I researched etensively myself but could not find any research supporting the effect of heating flax seeds. Can you by any chance share the links?
Have a safe trip! Excited to see travel posts on nyc where I reside!
Hi Michelle! The research I read had to do with the health benefits of flax overall, not necessarily between unheated vs heated. I honestly have no idea where I saw the research, though, so I won’t be able to track it down for you.
Oh yum! I’m going to have to make this. I love that you subbed sweet potato for squash. And tinkyada noodles help make the world go round don’t they? ;p
I’m going to have to check out this cookbook!
Hi Kimmy! It was my
boyfriend Chad Sarno who introduced me to Tinkyada noodles, he recommended them at the Dr. Fuhrman Getaway this past summer where he was doing a cooking demo. 🙂This looks delicious! I’m going to ask the cookbook for my birthday 😉
I know I’m too late for the giveaway, but I love the China Study, love the Campbell family, and am so happy to hear about this cookbook! Thanks for sharing!
Love a creamy and gluten-free pasta dish like this!
★★★★★