Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about making an Alfredo style sauce with cauliflower but the result was amazing! This is just one of the recipes you will have access to as a subscriber to MDWL along with a sample meal plan section to get you started for the first few weeks.

For this recipe, it is best if you have a blender or food processor but you could mash everything together and then use a hand mixer to whip it to a creamier texture if that is all you have.

Servings – 5-6

This recipe is fine for all stages of the program

• 6 – 8 large cloves garlic, minced (this will depend on how much you like garlic)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 5-6 cups cauliflower florets ( little bite sized pieces or you can just add the entire head as shown above and steam the entire thing in the broth)
• 6-7 cups no-salt added or low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper (more to taste)
• ½ cup half and half cream
• 1 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese.

Garlic: Add the oil to a large non-stick skillet over low heat. Add minced garlic on low heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the garlic is soft and fragrant but not browned (browned or burnt garlic will taste bitter). Remove from heat and set aside. (another option for cooking the garlic is to leave it whole, place it in a little dish, drizzle with a little oil and roast it until golden brown, then remove the skins before using. This pretty much ensures you are not going to burn the garlic and roasting brings out the sweetness and gives it a less harsh flavour)

Cauliflower: Pour the broth into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower and turn down heat to medium – low. Cook with the pot covered, for 7-10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. Do not drain.

Puree: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower pieces to the blender.

Add 1 cup of the broth, sautéed garlic and butter, cheese, salt, pepper, and cream to the blender.

Blend for several minutes until the sauce is very smooth, adding more broth or milk depending on how thick you want the sauce. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender.

Serve hot! If the sauce starts to look dry, add a few drops of water, cream, or Olive oil.

NOTE: This would also be great with roasted cauliflower instead of steamed.

Serve with your favourite low carb noodle such as Nupasta or other konjac noodles. I served it with sautéed shrimp and Liviva brand edamame fettucini noodles which are fine for the slower weight loss stage of the program or if you are doing IF and have not had any other carbohydrate intake for the day. (50g or 1/4 of a package is 5 net CHO)

To make it extra fancy if you are serving for company, a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon add the final touches.

You could also try it with chicken and zucchini noodles for something a little different. Once you get the hang of preparing some simple recipes, there is no end to the possible ways you can change it up to make it your own!