I realize I am totally late to the cauliflower fan club. Seriously, HOW have I been missing this my entire life?

This side dish has quickly become a current favorite, especially since it’s packed with all the nutrients in an entire cup of cauliflower. It’s creamy and cheesy–and honestly, it reminds me of loaded mashed potatoes. Plus, it has turkey bacon, so that’s another instant win in my book!

Give this recipe a try, especially for those who are less than fans of vegetables. I’m hoping to get my daughter to also fall in love with this sneaky veggie recipe! Enjoy!

Servings: 4
Ultimate Portion Fix: 1 green, 1/2 red, 1 blue

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups of cauliflower florets
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup of low fat milk (I use 1% organic)
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 2 cloves of pressed (or finely chopped) garlic
• 8 strips of cooked and crumbled turkey bacon
• 1/4 tsp of sea salt
• 1/4 tsp of black pepper
• 1/4 cup of green onions (optional–personally, I pass on this ingredient)
• Nonstick cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Coat an 8 1/2-inch x 8 1/2-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
3. Steam or blanch cauliflower for 3 minutes; drain thoroughly. Place in large bowl and set aside. Note: for even faster prep time, I purchase bagged cauliflower florets and steam in the microwave.
4. In a small prep bowl mix together cheese and cornstarch. Make sure all the cheese is completely covered with cornstarch.
5. Place milk and garlic in a large nonstick skillet and bring to a low simmer over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to low and whisk in cheese mixture a small handful at a time, stirring constantly, until cheese is completely melted. The cheese will become thick and creamy. Remove from heat.
7. In the large bowl with cauliflower, add 3/4 of the crumbled turkey bacon, green onions, salt, and pepper. My personal preference at this stage is to slightly chop up the cauliflower so it’s not in large floret chunks. This creates a consistency even more like that of mashed potatoes!
8. Top cauliflower mixture with cheese and mix very well.
9. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining 1/4 crumbled bacon and bake for 30 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender and top of casserole has slightly browned.
10. Divide evenly among four serving bowls and serve immediately, or store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.