No-Mac, Cheese and Cauliflower
April 11, 2017
This recipe all came about because I miss mac and cheese. I wanted a low carb version and tried several recipes, but honestly they were too much work, relied on a roux (I do not eat flour) and I was not happy with the results. In mac and cheese your cooking a pasta that absorbs the sauce, cauliflower does not absorb, so you need a different type of sauce. I learned a long time ago just thickened cream makes a simple sauce. Add some cheese, bake until thick and bubble and it is quite good, and easy :-)
I have made at least 5 different versions of this with cook /frozen/riced/not and this is the version my family liked best. The second recipe is the one I like the best, because it is easier. I did not have to prepare and par-cook the cauliflower. They are both good though. The only kind of cauliflower I would not use is frozen florets. We all agreed it was too mushy. I do not know why the frozen riced cauliflower is not mushy, but it is not. Par-cooking the cauliflower florets gave a perfect textured with the finished dish. I like to serve this with a steak and salad on our weekends. If you hate cauliflower, make the second version, you will never know there is cauliflower in there, if you use strong flavored cheddar.
No-Mac, Cheese and Cauliflower
makes a 5x10" pan
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 cups cauliflower, small flowerts, par-cooked *see my notes below
1 tsp. dried granulated garlic
½ tsp ground pepper
½ sea salt
Pre-heat oven 350°F
In a sauce pan mix all ingredients, except the cauliflower. On low heat stir cream/cheese until cheese is melted. You do NOT want to boil this, just melt the cheese. Pull sauce off heat and stir in cauliflower. Grease a 5x10" pan and pour cauliflower in prepared pan. Cover pan with heavy lid or foil. Bake 50 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crispy brown around the edges.4
Quicker version No-Mac, Cheese and Cauliflower
makes a 5x10" pan
I cup heavy cream
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 cups frozen, riced cauliflower
1 tsp. dried granulated garlic
½ tsp ground pepper
½ sea salt
Pre-heat oven 350°F
In a sauce pan mix all ingredients, except the cauliflower. On low heat stir cream/cheese until cheese is melted. You do NOT want to boil this, just melt the cheese. Pull sauce off heat and stir in cauliflower. Because the cauliflower is frozen the sauce with glop together, but do not worry it will bake fine. Grease a 5x20" pan and spread cauliflower in prepared pan. Cover pan with heavy lid or foil. Bake 50 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crispy brown around the edges.
*Notes
1. Par-cooking cauliflower. Cut your fresh cauliflower into small florets, about the size of your thumb nail. In a small pan on your stove or in a microwave set on high, boil cauliflower about 3-4 minutes. Until it starts to become transparent in color but still firm. Run cauliflower under cold water and set aside. This can be done earlier in the day too. Just refrigerate until you make you no-mac, cheese and cauliflower.
2. If you want to keep it really fast and quick, make the second version but cook the sauce and riced cauliflower on the stove for about 5 minutes, until the frozen cauliflower is cooked. Then enjoy. I make this for my dinner on nights, when I am cooking something for my family I cannot eat. With a salad it is lovely. Not as lovely as the baked, crunchy version but still good.
3. Lastly, this dish is only as good as the cheese you use. Use a strong cheddar with lots of flavor!
We love cauliflower cheese in our family (admittedly with pasta, if you ask the children) and I use cornflour to thicken low fat milk to make the sauce. Is that an option for you?
Happy Easter to you all, love, Gill
Posted by: Gill | April 13, 2017 at 10:51 AM
Clarice,
This sounds so good! Thanks for sharing. Happy Spring!
xo
Lynn
Posted by: Lynn | April 13, 2017 at 07:13 AM
Thank you! I have been wanting to try something like this. I buy riced but not frozen cauliflower. I'll have to experiment with it!
Posted by: Deanna Rabe | April 11, 2017 at 07:01 PM