“Did I just read ‘Mac & Cheese Cauliflower?” Yes you did! I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve always loved a good bowl of mac and cheese, so when I came across the notion of a mac and cheese styled cauliflower dish it was a no-brainer for me. Why? Well, beside the yum factor, cauliflower is actually a pretty amazing vegetable. Cauliflower is a member of the cancer-fighting cruciferous family of vegetables. How does it do this? It contains sulforaphane, a sulfur compound that has been shown to kill cancer stem cells, thereby slowing tumor growth. This is huge, as researchers believe that eliminating cancer stem cells may be key to controlling cancer.
In addition, cauliflower is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich, and may boost both your heart and brain health. If that wasn’t enough to get you running to go grab some cauliflower, eating cauliflower will also provide your body with impressive amounts of vitamin C, vitamin k, beta-carotene, and much more while supporting healthy digestion and detoxification. Can you say Ah-maz-ing!!!
This recipe has quickly become a favorite at my house and for good reason: It’s absolutely DELICIOUS! This mac and cheese style cauliflower is sure to be a hit around your dinner table and it’s super easy! Hope you guys enjoy it as much when you try it!
1 large head cauliflower (1 ½ lb.), cut into medium florets (8 cups)
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
2 cups low-fat milk
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
2 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 egg yolks
1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
1. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Fill a large pot with salted water and set to boil. Once the water is boiling, add cauliflower florets and boil 5 to 7 minutes or until just tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid, and set aside. (see picture below)
2. Melt butter in same pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in milk, garlic, and reserved cooking liquid, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until sauce is thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese, cayenne pepper, and egg yolks until cheese is melted. Fold in cauliflower.
3. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread cauliflower mixture in baking dish, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Spray breadcrumbs with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes, or until casserole is hot and bubbly and breadcrumbs are crisp and brown.
Then all that’s left to do is serve it up! It is great all on its own or you can have it as a side dish as I did and you can see below.
Parmesan Crusted Baked Tilapia, Brown Rice and Mac & Cheese Cauliflower 🙂 ❤
Details on how to prepare the Parmesan Crusted Baked Tilapia pictured above can be found here: Parmesan Crusted Baked Tilapia
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