Keeping with this week’s theme of Thanksgiving, I thought I’d add a little “comfort food”. Some parts of my wife’s family are from the South and they love their bread, beans, butter and cheese. Her grandmother’s mac and cheese is so rich and she uses the big thick elbow macaroni and it is so delicious that one small serving and you’ll nap for days!

Unfortunately, grandma’s recipe isn’t on the keto diet, so I decided to look for something similar that was still as hearty but didn’t destroy the Keto way of eating. This cauliflower mac and cheese recipe is one of the closest I could find that matched in style, thickness and of course cheesy goodness.

Recipe courtesy of gnom-gnom.com

Keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Just as good as Grandma's (photo courtesey of gnom-gnom.com)

INGREDIENTS

· 1 head cauliflower

· 3 tablespoons salted butter

· 1 cup heavy cream to taste

· 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

· 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

· 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground

· kosher salt to taste

· 1-2 teaspoons arrowroot powder (Bob’s Red Mill is good) or 1/4-1/2 tsp konjac

· 1 - 1 1/2 cups shredded (sharp!) cheddar cheese or a mix of gruyere & cheddar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Break up the cauliflower head into bite-sized florets and set aside.

2. Add butter to a Dutch oven or pot over medium/low heat and cook, stirring every so often, until fully browned (4-6 minutes). Add heavy cream, mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, a generous pinch of salt and stir until combined. Add in the cauliflower bites, stir until evenly coated, cover with lid and simmer until softened but still retain a bite (10-15 minutes). Feel free to add a little extra salt now, keeping in mind you'll be adding the cheese still.

3. Make an arrowroot or konjac powder slurry (i.e. mix the powder with a couple tablespoons of cold water). Add it to the cauliflower mixture and stir until thickened (I've noticed various brands behave a little different, so just add it little by little to taste). Add in the cheese, stir until melted and serve right away!