Get Cooking | Creamy Cauliflower Bake

October is a special month to me for many reasons. One of the least of which is because it’s the month of  VEGANMOFO which stands for the Vegan Month of Food. Two years ago I joined in on the fun for the first time and enjoyed it so much that last year I did it again, posting almost a recipe a day, all vegan. (Let me digress for a moment to say that I’m not a vegan. I’m a vegetarian who sometimes eats seafood. But I do think that there are evident health benefits to keeping animal products out of one’s diet so I try to be creative with keeping dairy to a minimum. Especially when eating at home.) It’s challenging and fun (not to mention healthy) and hundreds and thousands of bloggers join in so there is an unlimited stream of delicious recipes flooding the interwebs in October each year. Sadly, this year I haven’t been able to find canned pumpkin in the stores so I’ve been forced out of my normal fall cooking box. (aka, pumpkin EVERYTHING) and have had to find other recipes to try. At Whole Foods the other day I got a little box of Cauliflower Bake from the deli and LOVED it. I decided I would try my hand at it, and try to keep it animal free.

I looked up a few different recipes online and combined my favorite parts of them, removed all dairy, and then added a few touches of my own. I think it turned out fabulously and is an easy way to consume a bunch of cauliflower (which is a surprisingly versatile veggie, I learned). The cauliflower is soft and similar in consistency to baked potatoes and the creamy sauce is the perfect addition. Top it off with crispy bread crumbs and you’ve got a side dish so good it could easily take over as the star of dinner or a meal on its own. (And I don’t have kids, but I bet that this would be the perfect way to get your kids to eat their veggies!) Continue reading for the full recipe and step by step photo instructions.

Ingredients
1 pkg organic frozen cauliflower
3 tbs Earth Balance (vegan butter)
1/4 c flour
2 tsp salt
2 c soy milk
2 tbs spicy mustard
2 tbs onion powder
1 tsp cumin
4 slices vegan cheddar cheese
black pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 c. bread crumbs
paprika to garnish

Method:

1. In a small saucepan, melt 3 tbs butter

2. Boil cauliflower in salted water until soft and tender

3. After the butter has melted, blend in flower and salt. Wisk until smooth over medium heat until bubbly. Gradually add the milk, stirring continually. Continue cooking and stirring until sauce thickens and is compeltely smooth. (About 5 minutes.)

4. Now the fun part. Build the sauce. I wanted mine to have a bit of a bite so I chose to stir in spicy mustard, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and onion powder. The measurements are also just guidelines. Taste it as you go and add more or less to your liking!

5. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a square baking dish. Drain the cauliflower and layer it on the bottom of the dish. Pour the sauce all over the cauliflower. Break each slice of vegan cheddar cheese in half and lay them across the top of the saucy cauliflower. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly all over the top. (You can add a bit extra if you like, they’re yummy.)

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown and the sauce is bubbly throughout. Remove from the oven and allow to set for 10-15 minutes before serving. Garnish with paprika and eat up!

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