Cauliflower ... its the new Creamy

Cauliflower (or should we say Transformaflower) is a vegetable that has taken it upon itself to be the new creamy substitute... sorry tofu, you can't have all the glory. Steamed and blended cauliflower transforms into a delicious creamy medium that is suitable for soups, casseroles, sauces, dips, etc ... if the creaminess factor needs to be turned up a notch, call cauliflower in for the job. I recently used cauliflower as a creamy addition to a "cheesy" sauce for macaroni and cheese. Along with some soaked cashews this dish was delicious and dare I say it ... nutritious!?!
A half cup of tofu contains 10 grams of protein while half a cup of cashews is 18 grams!! (and who says vegans don't get enough protein?) Now lets look at the nutritional bennies of substituting cauliflower for your creamer shall we ...
The cauliflower in this recipe is steamed, then blended, so a half of cup only adds a whopping 14 calories, no fat, 46% of your daily vitamin C, and is high in phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin B6. Not too shabby.
If you're looking for an awesome Mac N' Cheese recipe for those days when you just want to curl up on the couch, or need a kick a$$ dish to share at those ever so lovely potlucks, give this a shot ...

ENJOY!
the new and vegan improved ...

 Mac N' Cheese
-1 lb. elbow macaroni
-pinch o' salt
-2 cups soaked cashews (soaked at least 1 hr.)
-4 cloves garlic, peeled
-1 cup Rice milk
-1 cup nutritional yeast
-1 tbsp red miso
-swirl o agave nectar
-1/2 cup cauliflower florets, steamed
-1 tbsp crushed red pepper
-1 tbsp dried basil
-1 tsp salt
-1 cup bread crumbs
-2 tbsp earth balance

Preheat oven to 350.
Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil with a dash of salt. Add in the macaroni and cook for approximately 7-8 minutes or until noodles are tender.
Drain and set aside.
In a food processor combine soaked cashews and garlic, and pulse until well chopped.
Add in remaining ingredients and blend until very smooth and ... creamy ...
Place noodles in an 8 x 13 baking dish and stir in cream sauce, covering every noodle. With a spoon evenly spread noodle mix in dish and cover with bread crumbs, while throwing little dollops of earth balance on top.
Place uncovered in oven and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until macaroni has reached a nice golden brown.
Serves 10 or more!
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