A good cauliflower cheese recipe is something every Mom needs and while in itself Cauliflower cheese isn't bad, this Cleaned up healthy cauliflower cheese recipe is not only way faster to put together but it adds a bucket load of extra protein and nutrients. Tuck into this super healthy veggie side dish completely guilt free!
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Healthy Cauliflower Cheese
A good cauliflower cheese dish can be a meal in itself but for the purpose of this recipe, it's for 4 people :)
Cauliflower was one of those vegetables I struggled to get the kids to eat regularly. They were stuck on the peas, carrots and broccoli train and while they're all great, they're a fraction of the vegetable choice out there and I wanted them to branch out and try a few more. And cauliflower was one of the ones I was determined to get them to love. And I did!
One of the ways I coaxed the kids to try new veggies was to turn them into comfort food. Yep, that's right, turns out some of their favorite foods now are the veggie dishes I turned from dull to delightful. I was guilty of boiling veg into oblivion before we started eating Clean. These days, while I do still love simple steamed veg, it's usual for me to use vegetables as an ingredient for a side dish, rather than boiling and serving like I used to.
Cauliflower Cheese Made Healthier
I make this healthy cauliflower cheese even healthier by using my white bean cheese sauce. Apart from the time saving element it adds a huge extra protein hit, alongside a shed load of other nutrients and good things into the kids diets. And they don't know. The sauce is cheesy, the same texture as a traditional 'roux' type one, and you use it the same way.
When I'm cooking anything with Cheddar cheese I always use the strongest Cheddar I can get hold of. This means I can add a huge cheesy flavor while not having to use vast amounts of it. Which all in all makes this side dish super healthy!
Leftovers
This recipe reheats beautifully and can be kept, covered, in the fridge for 2 days. To reheat it, transfer it to a microwavable dish and heat for 2 minutes or until the sauce and cauliflower are hot through. You could put this in a pan and reheat on the stove top, letting the sauce simmer for a few minutes to allow the cauliflower to reheat.
One thing to note: The crispy crunchy cheese topping on this only happens when you eat this straight from then oven. The flavor and yumminess stays the same, but reheating in the microwave or stove top will not give you the same oven fresh crunch!
More Healthy Vegetable Sides
How To Make Cauliflower Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 Large Cauliflower Cut into florets
- 1 Batch White bean Cheese sauce See post for recipe
- ¼ Cup Cheddar cheese Shredded
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 180°
- Put a large pan of water on the stove top to boil. Add the cauliflower florets once the water is boiling
- Cook the cauliflower until just tender, then transfer to an oven proof dish
- Pour the white bean cheese sauce on the cauliflower and sprinkle the shredded cheddar on top
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the cheese sauce is bubbling
- Serve
Healthy Cauliflower Cheese Recipe
Healthy Cauliflower Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 Large Cauliflower Cut into florets
- 1 Batch White bean Cheese sauce See post for recipe
- ¼ Cup Cheddar cheese Shredded
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 180°
- Put a large pan of water on the stove top to boil. Add the cauliflower florets once the water is boiling
- Cook the cauliflower until just tender, then transfer to an oven proof dish
- Pour the white bean cheese sauce on the cauliflower and sprinkle the shredded cheddar on top
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the cheese sauce is bubbling
- Serve
