Butternut Squash Pesto Lasagna

As the leaves start turning color, there's a crisp in the air, and nothing sounds better than a homemade butternut squash pesto lasagna on your plate (and in your belly).

Ingredients (Pesto):

• 1/4 a lemon (a lemon wedge)

• 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets

• 5 garlic cloves

• 1 shallot, roughly chopped

• 1 handful basil

• 1/3 C olive oil

• 1/4 C nutritional yeast

• Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients (Cheese Sauce):

• 1 butternut squash

• 1 Yukon potato

• 1/4 a yellow onion

• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• 1/4 C nutritional yeast

• Dash of paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients (Mushrooms):

• 1 package chestnut mushrooms ( ~ 4 oz)

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 Tbsp soy sauce

• Dash of pepper

• *1 package lasagna noodles

Method:

1. Make pesto by combining all pesto ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until there are no large chunks remaining and it is fairly smooth.

2. For cheese sauce, peel and cube the butternut squash into roughly 2-inch cubes. Slice the potato into 4ths.

3. In a pot of salted boiling water, add the sliced butternut squash, potato, and 1/4 a yellow onion. Boil for 20 minutes.

4. When veggies are soft, drain the liquid and add to a blender with olive oil, nutritional yeast, paprika, salt, and pepper. Blend on high speed until smooth. Add more olive oil if too thick and set aside.

5. For the mushrooms, on a medium heated skillet, add the olive oil. Roughly chop the chestnut mushrooms and add to the pan with the soy sauce and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes or until the liquid has been soaked up by the mushrooms.

6. By now, all the fillings should be ready (pesto, cheese sauce, and mushrooms). Cook 6-8 sheets of lasagna noodles al dente according to package.

7. In a loaf pan, grease a loaf pan with olive oil and put a thin layer of cheese sauce on the bottom. Add a lasagna sheet, then a layer of pesto, mushrooms, and more cheese sauce. Repeat these steps until all the noodles are gone.

8. Lastly, spread a final layer of cheese sauce on top the lasagna, cover, and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove the cover and broil at 500 degrees F for 3 minutes to end. Enjoy!