October 10th, 2008
CAULIFLOWER MAC’N CHEESE
This recipe from Veggie Venture, a website operated by Alanna Kellogg, a longtime food columnist and chef in St. Louis, is a little lighter on the protein. But it’s likely to appeal to mac and cheese lovers, who deserve a holiday treat. It takes the dish upscale, but still brings a major league comfort food to the table. Veggie Venture’s philosophy is that we should eat more vegetables, but we don’t have to become strict vegetarians, a plan that might appeal to Americans trying to scale back on meat-centered meals. This dish would make a fine meal with a couple plain vegetable accompaniments.
Hands-on time: 45 minutes
Time to table: 75 minutes
Makes about 4 cups
PASTA
8 ounces dried pasta, Dreamfields Pasta for carb-watchers and diabetics
Cook the pasta according to instructions, being sure to salt the water well. Drain.
CAULIFLOWER
2 tablespoon unsalted butter (one tablespoon per skilletful of cauliflower)
1 large head cauliflower, leaves removed, core cut out in a large V-shaped cone, head cut into bite-size florets
In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter on MEDIUM HIGH until sizzly and beginning to brown. Add about some cauliflower, only enough for a single layer, toss well to coat with fat. Turning just once, let cook until browned, about 4 – 5 minutes. Put aside and repeat until all the cauliflower is cooked.
SAUCE
8 ounces ricotta cheese
3/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Stir together.
CRUMB TOPPING
1/2 cup panko
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Fresh thyme leaves
Add to cauliflower skillet and cook over MEDIUM until crumbs are quite brown.
ASSEMBLY
Preheat oven to 400F. In the pasta pot, stir together cooked pasta, cooked cauliflower and sauce. Taste sauce — make sure it’s peppery. If not, keep adding pepper. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over top. Bake for 45 – 60 minutes or until hot and bubbly clear through.
TO PREP AHEAD
DAY BEFORE Cook cauliflower. Make crumb topping.
MORNING OF Cook pasta. Mix sauce. Assemble.
BEFORE DINNER Return to room temperature. Top with crumb topping, bake at 400F for 45 – 60 minutes until hot and bubbly clear through.
TOFURKEY
Finally, of course, there’s the soy-based Tofurkey. If you want something to fill the middle of the table that meets (no pun intended) your entree requirements (26 grams of protein and zero sat fat per serving) and even tastes like turkey, it’s an option.
Whole Foods Market reports that sales of Tofurkey have been growing steadily. Watching your cholesterol? Check out the nutritional comparison between a Tom Turkey and a Tofurkey.
Related Stories
- Don’t run afoul on Thanksgiving, buy humanely raised, veg-fed turkeys
- Thinking turkey: Don’t panic, there’s still time to buy organic
Copyright © 2008 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media
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