Roasted Butternut Squash Chili Mac

So, I'm totally aware that the beginning of spring is probably not the ideal time to be posting a recipe for roasted butternut squash chili mac. In my defense, I cooked this and shot it back in February when it was freezing and pouring rain and hearty bowls of roasted squash, beans, and pasta were all I was craving. Save this recipe for a chilly April Showers sort of day, or a "I need comfort food STAT sort of day," or bookmark it for the first cold Autumn day. Whatevs. It's here for when you're ready.

I'm going to be completely honest about why it's taken me so long to post this: This spring, I'm going through a major life transformation and I've been struggling lately with motivation to do the things that used to fuel me, lift me up, and give me life. I love writing. I've always loved writing. It's always been a release for me, my favorite way to flex my creativity muscles. And for many years, food has been one of my favorite subjects to write about. But these days, it's very hard for me to come up with interesting things to say about food. Case in point: I've been working on this post for a month. Like, I've written it and deleted it more times than I can count at this point. Maybe it will come back. Or maybe this blog will see a transformation of its own in its future. I'm waiting to see where the universe guides me to.

In this transformation, I've been reevaluating my values. And I've been working on aligning my habits and my lifestyle with my new values. That means I've been spending more time meditating, doing yoga (and doing yoga teacher training), journaling, spending time with friends, and doing lots of other little acts of self-care. And all of that leaves less time for blogging and social media. I'm still in the process of learning how to make those activities work with my values.

At the beginning of the year, I took a manifestation workshop with some dear friends, and today, my dog, Maeby, reminded me to look at my notes from that workshop. She did this very subtly by pulling out my journals and notebooks and chewing up all the covers (luckily, all my journal pages and notes are still in tact). So as I taped the covers back together in a delicate hodgepodge fashion, I reread my notes from early January and I was shocked. Nearly everything I wanted to have happen this year has already happened or is in the works to happen in the near future! I haven't even opened that notebook since January, and here it is, near the end of April and I've accomplished so much. I've come so far and I'm damn proud of myself. The fact that this is my second post of the year doesn't bother me one bit. I am on the right track in this life-transformation.

So on to this recipe. Full disclosure: I made this recipe using a package of pre-cut butternut squash. Typically, I would've bought the full squash and chopped it myself. But I injured my hand in early February. See, not only does Maeby love to read my journals when I'm not home, she also has a the ability to run without looking where she's going. #mydogsgottalent So on one of our runs, Maeby got distracted while running behind me and the next thing I knew, I was sprawled out on the pavement after being trampled by a 50-pound pup. She was very sorry. But my right hand was out of commission for a little while and I had to briefly go back to eating take-out and easy-to-prepare meals.

During that period, I really began to crave a big bowl of chili and/or a big bowl of pasta. I wasn't picky. It just had to be warm and filling and wholesome and just, you know, comforting. As soon as my right hand could maneuver a knife to chop up a few easily-sliced veggies, I made my craving a reality. And you're looking at it. The ingredient list may look long, but you likely have a lot of these items in your cupboard and the others aren't exotic and are easy to find. This chili mac comes together very easily (especially with the pre-cut butternut squash), and it makes a lot. I actually still have half of the pot stored in my freezer for the next time I don't feel like cooking. 

And this chili mac is delicious! It's bold in flavor and texture and boy, is it filling! It's one of those recipes that even though it's enticing with its burst of savory goodness, the sweetness from the roasted butternut squash, the chewy pasta, and the hearty mixture of beans- it's hard to eat more than a small bowl without feeling stuffed. Which just means more leftovers, which means less time in the kitchen and more time doing the things that are truly important. 

What sort of Spring Transformations are you making happen in your life?

Photography by Kristy Turner