creamy, light cauliflower mac and cheese

There is a teeny tiny hint of Fall in the air down in these parts, well OK...that may just wishful thinking.  It was 87 degrees yesterday which for the South feels down right crisp compared to the sweltering sticky heat of the "summer" months.  It may have just been the lack of humidity, the air hasn't been this pleasant since April. 

Whatever the reason was, I got to thinking about Fall comfort foods and remembered a recipe I tore out of a Cooking Light magazine and stashed in the pile of recipes to try, it took a bit to unearth it as I seem to have recipes crammed into every nook and cranny of my kitchen (kitchen cupboards, drawers, laying on counters, roaming around my handbags and coat pockets) maybe I have a recipe addiction?

I did find it stuck between the pages of a book I am reading (I have issues).

I adapted this recipe to use cauliflower instead of pasta noodles for a double dose of veggies and used a soy, dairy and gluten free cheese substitute called Daiya, it actually melts and taste like honest to goodness-cheese! I am certain this would taste just as good with the real deal cheese as well. 

creamy, light cauliflower mac and cheese

adapted from Cooking Light

Makes 8 servings


You will need:

3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound squash)

2 1/4 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth (reserve one cup for steaming or boiling cauliflower)

1 1/2 cup almond milk (or fat free milk)

2 garlic cloves (chopped)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 1/2  cups cheese (I used Daiyo cheddar style shreds, also available in mozzarella and pepper jack)

1 large head cauliflower ( about 1 pound)

Cooking spray

Here's what you do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.

Chop cauliflower florets into smaller bite size pieces, in a medium saucepan combine 1 cup chicken broth with cauliflower, steam or boil cauliflower until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Set aside.

Place hot squash mixture into a blender or food processor.  Add salt, pepper, Dijon mustard.  Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid and place a clean towel over the opening in the blender to over splatters or burns!  Blend until smooth.  Place squash mixture in a bowl; stir in your 2 cups of cheese and combine.

Add your drained cauliflower to your squash/cheese mixture and mix thoroughly.   Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9 inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until bubbly and browned on top.

Cool for a few minutes before diving in.

The outcome: husband approved (and real mac and cheese is one of his favorite foods), the squash and cheese tastes like a legit mac and cheese sauce, except better in my opinion and healthier.  The cauliflower has the same consistency of noodles and has lots of nooks for the cheese sauce to get into, the only change I would make is to add more Dijon but I love mustard and to add chives.  

My husband suggested next time I make this dish to add quinoa for a bit of protein in with all veggie and cheese (substitute) goodness.