Green Goddess Pasta Salad with Chile Roasted Acorn Squash

This recipe was created by Iztayub Valenzuela from UMASS

3 oz vegetable oil
14 oz pumpkin seeds
3 lbs. Barilla Chickpea Rotini
Pasta water as needed, reserved
3 tsp salt
1.5 lbs acorn squash
3 avocado
5 oz yellow onions
3 oz garlic clove
4 oz cilantro
12 oz lime juice
6 oz white vinegar
1.5 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta in salted water for 8-10 minutes. Remove pasta and shock with iced water, rinse pasta. Reserve pasta water. 
  2. Cut acorn squash into ¼ inch rings, remove seeds, rub squash with chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and a drizzle of vegetable oil. Roast squash for about 10 to 12 minutes or until little tender. Cool down. Cut into a half moon.
  3. Mix pumpkin seeds with the same spices used for the squash and roast for 3 minutes. Cool down.
  4. In a blender, add lime juice, vinegar, chopped garlic, chopped onions, cilantro, avocado, salt and pepper. Blend and add one ounce of oil and 2 -3 ounces of pasta water gradually. Add a touch of salt if needed. 
  5. In a medium bowl combine cooked pasta and dressing; mix gently. Serve the pasta salad on top of your favorite greens and top with half moon acorn squash and sprinkles of pumpkin seeds.