Butternut Squash Mac and Cheeze

When I arrived home from China Sunday night, I was obviously wide awake. It was 11:30 PM in North Carolina, but 10:30 am in China. When I arrived in Beijing, I was easily able to adopt the new schedule, and had no problems sleeping whatsoever. However, it was a different case back in the U.S. This first night I was up until 3 or 4 in the morning, thinking I could sleep until noon and head into work.

I was very ambitious Sunday night. I made my workout schedule for the week, and a schedule of healthy meals breakfast-dinner for all the days of the week. Well, little did I know the sleep deprivation ahead of me. I had no control over my body or my brain. I slept 4 hours a night, waking up at 3am. I would force myself to stay awake as late as possible, so that I may sleep in.. but alas... the latest I slept in was 5am. I went to the gym Monday morning at 5:30 and worked out, because what else do you do that early? The rest of the week I could barely move. My head felt such an intense pressure, it was if I were deep-sea diving. I couldn't function, let alone concentrate at work, work out and get home to make dinner. Instead I was a zombie all week.

I finally felt all right on Saturday morning, after a nice dinner with my husband and half of a bottle of wine. I was able to sleep ten whole hours!

Well, now it's a new week, and last week's recipes have become this week's recipes. I started this dish Sunday I think, which seemed a little cold-weather appropriate juxtaposed with our glorious 80 degree weather here. I've always wanted to try a vegan macaroni and cheeze recipe, but never did anything about it. When I saw THIS recipe I knew it was time to give vegan mac and cheeze a try once and for all. And let me tell you what --- I'm glad I did! The dish turned out great! Even my husband loved it, and even took most of it to work for lunch the next day (hence my tiny portion in the photo) he's helping me diet I think.


Check out the original recipe HERE on Oh She Glows. I made the straight outta the pot version. My husband won't wait on baking things. He often makes me abort dinners because he has gotten so hungry he needs to go out to eat right then (which basically takes the same amount of time as just waiting for me to finish).