It’s time to spice things up with a sauce that I have never, ever had the guts to try before – eating or making. In general I’m not the most outgoing person when it comes to trying new foods, but after watching a cooking show and seeing it made it just looked so good. I didn’t want to blow my mouth out of the water with heat so I decided to make it like I did with my Sweet & Sour Stir Fry with a real sauce and smother some veggies with it. I hope you get to enjoy some of this vegan and gluten-free Kung Pao Smothered Roasted Cauliflower and Butternut Squash spice bomb.

I really love everything I make, especially when I surprise myself with my cooking abilities. This may sound arrogant but when you grow up not eating very adventurously then trying new things can be scary. And when you actually make those things and they turn out not just good, but awesome? It’s worth being super-proud of yourself. Anytime your successful in the kitchen is worth being proud! And since this months Recipe Redux is all about trying something new – whether it’s a recipe or an ingredient – it was time to get out of my spicy comfort zone and liven things up! I figured for this month I would not only do a new recipe but try a new flavor/ingredient – chili paste. Hot and spicy chili paste. Like burn your mouth and throat while your eating and swallowing chili paste. And yes, oh so good chili paste! I loved it and this recipe turned out so good. This is also a really good Elimination Diet Asian recipe since there is no soy in it, even though the chili paste has sugar in it. Believe me – you want that extra sweetness with all that spice.

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Start by slicing the peel off the butternut squash and spooning out the core and seeds. Chop the butternut into small like-size pieces then dumping on a baking sheet. Dump the frozen cauliflower on the sheet also then drizzle the oil and sprinkle the pepper and garlic powder over the veg then mix with your hands to coat everything. The important thing about this recipe is that you choose a sweeter veggie like cauliflower and butternut to offset the out-of-hand spice of the chili paste. Roast the veg for 35 minutes at 375 degrees. While the veg is roasting chop the onion into small pieces then saute with the garlic in a little veg broth until onions are just starting to soften. Add in the sesame oil and mix then add the flour and mix about 30 seconds. Add in the broth and whisk then add everything else and whisk until thickened. Turn heat off. Once the veg are done roasting, you can either dump the veggies into the sauce and mix or spoon the sauce over some veggies depending on how much heat you want in your mouth. Enjoy!

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Kung Pao Smothered Roasted Cauliflower and Butternut Squash,

1 Pkg Frozen Cauliflower
1 Medium Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 Small Red Onion, chopped
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
2 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 C Imagine Vegetarian No-Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Chili Paste
2 Tbsp 100% Pure Maple Syrup
1 Tbsp Ginger
1 Tbsp Dried Cilantro
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Chili Paste

1. Set oven to 375 degrees. Set out your baking sheet.
2. Slice off peel and core out the butternut, then cut into small chunks. Dump butternut and cauliflower onto the baking sheet and sprinkle pepper, garlic powder and olive oil over veggies then mix with your hands.
3. Roast for 35 minutes.
4. Chop red onion into small pieces then add to a saute pan with the garlic and a little broth. Let sweat out on medium heat until just starting to soften.
5. Add the sesame oil and mix then sprinkle in the flour and mix about 30 seconds.
6. Pour in the broth and whisk then add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until thick.
7. You can either add the veggies to the sauce and mix or just spoon a little over your veg.
8. Enjoy!