Summer Squash and Potato Cheeze Sauce

Vegans are mighty inventive, and if it's one thing they have figured out how to turn just about anything into, it's cheese.

This is quite a magic trick, making squash and potatoes turn into something that best adorns tortilla chips, mac'n'cheeze, or if you are patient enough, the broccoli casserole I'll be posting in just a few days :)  

This ooey-gooey little low-fat to No-fat cheezie wonder is going to be a crowd pleaser, so guard it judiciously!

Makes about 5 cups (you'll need 2-3 for the casserole, so you can enjoy some now!)

What you'll use from your bag:

3 summer squash, your entire haul this week

3 or 4 spring garlic bulbs, yep the entire things

A few curvy leaves of lettuce, to dip into the sauce

What else you'll need:

2 cups of veggie broth (this week my homemade scrap broth is red, from last week's beets!)

3/4 cup nutritional yeast

4-5 medium yukon gold potatoes

1 Tbs cumin powder

1 tsp mustard seed powder

2 tsp sea salt, and more to roast

1 Tbs smoked paprika

1 tsp celery salt

1/4 cup liquid aminos or tamari

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp tumeric powder

1 Tbs vegetable oil to roast, and 1 more to blend (optional)

1 Tbs red peper flakes (optional)

First, preheat the oven to 400

Peel the squash and the potatoes, unless you have a vitamix and you really hate peeling.  This will change the color of the finished product, but is perfectly fine to eat as long as you can get a smooth texture out of your blender.  

Chop the top off the garlic bulbs, but keep them together and in their skins (you can remove any hanging papery parts.

Rough chop the potatoes, and toss with 1/2 the garlic, 1/2 Tbs oil, and some salt. Roast for 25-30 minutes in the top rack, stirring once.

Rough chop the squash, toss the squash and the other 1/2 of the garlic in salt and oil. Spread out on a baking sheet covered in parchment and add to the oven in the middle rack. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring once.  Different cook times is why they should be on separate baking sheets!

Next, prepare your flavoring mixtures

In a small bowl, mix your dry spices. In a medium bowl, whisk together the broth, liquid aminos, lemon juice, and remaining oil.  Add both to the blend and pulse to combine.

Then, mash and measure your roasted veggies

The garlic should slide right out of the skins.  Put the squash in a bowl and mash  until chunky, and pack firmly into a 1 cup measure, then add to the blender.  Do the same with the potato, allowing for a generous cup.  Add tot he blender, and blend on high for 2-3 minutes.  Scrape down the sides to ensure even mixing.

For thinner cheese, add up to 1/4 cup more broth, or 1 Tbs aminos and 1 Tbs lemon juice.  For thicker, put the entire mixture in a saucepan and heat to reduce.  Season spicy for nachos, or simply drizzle it over any extra roasted potato you have, and enjoy!