Step 1

In a high-speed blender, combine raw cashews, water, nutritional yeast flakes, white miso paste, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides as needed. (Don't have a high-speed blender? See recipe notes for workarounds.)

Step 2

Refrigerate the cashew cream until you're ready to assemble the polenta stacks. It will continue to thicken in the refrigerator.(If you're doing holiday prep, the cashew cream can be made about 3 days in advance.)

Step 3

Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Line one large baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.

Step 4

Use a chef's knife to cut the delicata squash into roughly 1/4 inch thick rounds.Then use your fingers to remove the seeds from the center of the rounds.

Step 5

Lay the delicata squash rounds onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of oil & toss until evenly combined. Spread the slices evenly across the sheet. Make sure they don’t touch and aren’t overcrowded.

Step 6

Roast the delicata squash for 12 minutes.

Step 7

Remove the squash from oven and flip the squash slices with a spatula. Then brush a generous amount of barbecue sauce onto each slice. Roast for another 8 minutes until fully browned and done. Remove from oven and set aside.

Step 8

While the squash is roasting, remove polenta from its plastic casing. Blot it dry on a clean kitchen towel.Cut it into roughly 1/2 inch circles.

Step 9

Bring a large non-stick skillet to a medium-high heat with a shallow layer of avocado oil across the bottom. Put a small bit of polenta into the oil to check if the oil is ready. If bubbles immediately surround the polenta, it is ready.(If the oil isn't hot enough, the polenta will stick to the pan & won't fry as nicely.)

Step 10

Put several polenta circles into the oil. (Be careful not to overcrowd the skillet and cook in batches if necessary.) Shallow fry each side for about 3 minutes, until crispy. Once fried, move the polenta circles onto a separate plate, and sprinkle with salt. (You can layer the plate with paper towels first, but be aware that the polenta may stick.)Continue until all of the polenta circles have fried. (Add more oil to the skillet, if needed.)

Step 11

Now it's time to make each stack. First, lay one polenta circle on a plate. Top with one or two circles of barbecue sauce-glazed delicata squash. Then top with a generous dollop of cashew cream. Top with another polenta circle, one or two circles of barbecue sauce-glazed butternut squash, and finish with another dollop of cashew cream. Garnish each stack with a sprinkling of pepitas and a small sprig of fresh rosemary (if using).Continue until all of the stacks are completed. Serve right away.