Name: Pumpkin Rigatoni with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 cup pumpkin puree *; 1 cup cherry tomatoes; 3 garlic cloves; 1-2 shallots (either 1 large or 2 small); 2 tbsp sage (about 8 leaves); 1/2 cup cashews (soaked for 4 hours); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt and black pepper (plus more to taste); 2 tsp balsamic vinegar; 1 package of rigatoni pasta (penne or ziti pasta works too); handful of spinach; pinch of red pepper flakes; 1/2 cup shredded chicken

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with foil.
Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and sage to the pan and coat with olive oil and a healthy pinch of salt and black pepper.
Fold the foil over to cover the ingredients and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tomatoes burst (check at the 15-minute mark).
While the cherry tomatoes are in the oven, prepare the pasta by following the instructions on the package. I recommend making your pasta water salty.
Carefully unfold the foil and pour the cherry tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and the juice into a blender.
To the blender, add 1 cup of pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup of soaked cashews, and the balsamic vinegar. Blend until smooth.
Taste and add more salt and black pepper as needed. If you like heat with your pasta, add a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes. If you like the taste of sage and want it to stand out in this dish, I recommend adding 1 tbsp at a time.
You will obtain two batches of sauce. Either double the pasta or save the sauce in the fridge for 1-week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Add 1/2 of the sauce to a medium size pan over medium heat. Add 1-ladle of the pasta water and stir to make a thinner sauce.
Add the noodles and mix to combine. At this time, you could add spinach or a protein source. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes before serving. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Rigatoni with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes