Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Post by Olivia Blodgett, Registered Dietitian
I recently made this dish and had a ton of requests for the recipe… so here it is! I also recently completed Kid Friendly Meal Plan #2 and if you are looking for more ideas for what to feed your kiddo, click here for more information. My goal in creating these recipes is to make everyone happy. The child gets to enjoy the meal and the parent gets to feel satisfied in knowing they have provided a nutritious option.
I spent a lot of the first year of feeding my child trying really hard to get her to like the foods that we did… curries, lentils, dishes with a lot of flavors and depth. I refused to cook “kid food” and believed that she could learn to like the same foods we did. Well, turns out there’s a reason for “kid food.” Many kids just simply have a preference for cheesy, carb-y, simple dishes. And while I still continue to offer her diverse and flavorful meals and refuse to prepare her a different meal than what I am eating, I have decided to meet her halfway. She has preferences much like adults have preferences and I can respect that. The only caveat is that there will be cauliflower involved 🙂
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces, or 1 bag of riced cauliflower
2/3 cup milk of choice
1 pound pasta of choice (I LOVE Banza chickpea pasta for the super high protein content)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Preparation
- Bring two large pots of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions on package in one pot. Boil cauliflower in the other pot for 10 minutes.
- Drain both pasta and cauliflower. Return pasta to the pot and put cauliflower in blender with all remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.
- Add cheese sauce to pot with pasta and stir. Serve warm.