Roasted Butternut Squash with Maca Cream Sauce

Most recipes harness maca’s butterscotch-like flavors in desserts, but this savory sauce is a revelation. The lightly sweet notes of the powdered root paired with garlic, lemon, and herbs, creates a complex cream sauce that’s perfect with any roasted vegetable. It also works nicely with chicken or pork.

Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Roasted Butternut Squash
1 large butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Maldon salt
A few sprigs fresh thyme

Maca Cream
2 tablespoons maca powder
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons hemp seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the butternut squash with oil and salt. Spread out in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lay sprigs of thyme over squash and place in oven to roast for 30 to 45 minutes.

Add the maca, garlic, thyme, sage, hemp seeds, salt, and lemon juice to the bowl of a small food processor. Process and drizzle in olive oil until the mixture resembles a smooth cream. Serve roasted squash with cream drizzled on top.

Photo credit: Paul Delmont