Pumpkin Broccoli Sauce

As I've mentioned before, my kids eat a lot of pasta.  If Sawyer had his way, it would always be "cold pasta with no sauce," but I only allow that if he is eating his plain pasta with soup. Otherwise, we need a sauce to get some more veggies into the meal.  Marinara sauce is yummy from time to time, and the kids love tahini-miso sauce, but after a while, we need more options. So, in keeping with the abundance of pumpkin recipes I have been posting lately, I made pumpkin sauce for the pasta wheels that Sawyer had been begging for all week.  He enjoys "crashing" the wheels by smooshing them to bits before shoving them into his mouth.  Perhaps I should be telling him not to play with his food, but I am just happy to see him excited about eating.

Here is Sawyer demonstrating the face he likes to make whenever I offer up a new sauce. 95% of the time he ends up liking it despite the dramatics.  He just has an image to keep up of being a picky eater. 

2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I prefer hemp, coconut, or oat milk)
2 Tbsp. soy-free Earth Balance margarine
3/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. onion powder
dash of black pepper
1/2 cup well-cooked broccoli florets
1/2 cup white beans, such as cannellini or great northern
1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast (optional, but good and adds B vitamins)
1/2 tsp agave nectar (optional, to taste)

1. Whisk together the  pumpkin, non-dairy milk, Earth Balance, basil, salt, onion powder, and pepper in a small saucepan over med-high heat and heat until warmed and well combined.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine the pumpkin mixture with the broccoli florets, beans and nutritional yeast, if you are using it. Puree until smooth.  Taste and add the agave if you desire the touch of sweetness. This makes about 1 cup, which was enough for about 1/2 lb. of pasta.