Butternut squash noodles with mushrooms, spinach and cashews

I spied a package of butternut squash noodles in my local grocery store and thought I'd give them a try, as a healthier alternative to pasta (plus I love butternut squash). After a quick internet search for recipes involving squash noodles, I came across one involving a cashew sauce, as opposed to a more traditional cream sauce, which I thought would continue along in my theme of being healthsome. In a bizarre (for me) turn of events, I happened to actually have cashews and spinach on hand and thought I'd throw in some mushrooms for good measure. Gluten free and vegan, this recipe is almost painfully healthy. Not sure how I feel about that!

Recipe

adapted from Del's Cooking Twist
Serves 2

12 oz butternut squash noodles
2 cups baby spinach
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz brown mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp dry-roasted cashews
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
salt and pepper

Cashew sauce
1 cup dry-roasted cashews
¾ cup water
¾ tbsp brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ tsp salt

For the sauce, blend cashews in a food processor or blender, along with water, sugar, garlic and salt, until very smooth. Add extra water if needed to gain the right sauce-like consistency.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in large skillet over medium heat and add garlic, frying until beginning to gain colour. Add in mushrooms and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan. Add remaining olive oil to the pan and add butternut squash noodles. Toss in the pan with tongs for 3-4 minutes until tender-crisp. Lower the heat and stir in spinach, cooking for another 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms. Add half the cashew sauce and toss to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve with cashews sprinkled on top.

Musings

Considering the minimal effort I put in, the dish was delightfully good! Earthy and nutty, the sauce paired wonderfully well with the butternut squash noodles. The spinach added a nice splash of colour, along with its various antioxidants and vitamins. If you have a spiralizer, you can make these noodles yourself, which would obviously be cheaper, but I appreciated the ease of having a ready-made package, particularly for a weeknight meal. A surprisingly healthy success!