Cauliflower Mac n Cheese with bacon

Today is a special occasion and my anniversary with Brian so this is the perfect day to make this perfect dish! I love mac n cheese, however, usually it’s super unhealthy and made with artificial and/or cheap, processed ingredients. What most people don’t realize is that eating clean and healthful does not have to taste disgusting. It is simply about making better ingredient choices. I add cauliflower to this dish because you can’t taste it at all, it adds fiber and lots of vitamins AND bulk to the dish without the extra calories! Cauliflower is great at doing that so I suggest you start getting creative with that vegetable and incorporate it more frequently!

I love to make this dish on Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays or other special occasions. It is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES. TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES. SERVES ABOUT 6.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head cauliflower, steamed and mashed (instructions below; or you can purchase a microwaveable bag of riced cauliflower)
• 12 ounces grass-fed cheddar cheese
• 12-14 ounce package gluten free rice noodle (or rice/corn mixture; rice/quinoa/corn, etc.)
• 2 tbsp Kerrygold butter
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika (smoked paprika is truly the best vs. regular paprika, but, it will do if it’s all you have)
• 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
• 3-5 slices uncured bacon, chopped

METHOD

Cut the stem and remove the leaves from the cauliflower, rinse it, and place it in a steamer basket. Steam for about 15 minutes.

Cook your noodles according to package instructions and set aside.

Meanwhile, grate your cheese into a large bowl. When the noodles finish cooking, rinse them with cool water and drain, then pour into the bowl of cheese. Next, add your spices and stir. When the cauliflower finishes steaming (should be very soft to touch), mash it well with a fork or use hand mixer/blender – adding the grass-fed butter at this stage as well. Add to the bowl of noodles/cheese and stir well.

Lastly, cook the bacon over medium high heat in a skillet, then place over paper towels and remove excess oil. Chop and add to the mac n cheese.

Pour everything into large glass baking dish – 9.5×11 inches or so…bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until just slightly browned on top.

Enjoy!