Who said that vegetables aren't tasty or fun? This vibrant, flavoursome cauliflower and peas cheese bake will convince even an extreme veggie-hater in the opposite. A super easy recipe that the whole family will love.
Cauliflower is an extremely nutritious vegetable. It is very low in calories yet contains almost every vitamin and mineral you need. Cauliflower is also high in fibre, which is beneficial for the gut health. Plus, it also contains unique antioxidants that may reduce inflammation and protect against several diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.
I incorporated peas in this recipe for an extra flavour and health benefits. Another great combo, that always works well in my house, is cauliflower and sweet corn. The magic is in this cheese sauce - so once you've got that down you can add any other veggies to the dish.
This is a comforting dish that works well with roast dinners and a great alternative to the high-carbs side dishes. Remember to cool it down as it's extremely hot when straight out of the oven, and then plate some for your little foodie to taste and gobble it all up.
Who said that vegetables aren't tasty or fun? This vibrant, flavoursome cauliflower and peas cheese bake will convince even an extreme veggie-hater in the opposite. A super easy recipe that the whole family will love.
Author:
Healthy Snacks NZ
Ingredients
1 cauliflower
300g peas, frozen
500ml milk, blue top
150g cheddar, grated
50g butter
50g plain flour
Herbs & Spices
a few peppercorns
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp coriander leaves (dry)
Directions
Break cauliflower into florets and place into a steaming basket over the boiling water. Steam until tender.
Pre-heat oven to 180C fan-forced or 200C bake mode.
Heat milk in a saucepan with peppercorns, turmeric, cloves and bay leaf. Allow to infuse for around 15 minutes.
Melt the butter in a clean saucepan and stir in flour until thickens.
Strain infused milk (or just plain milk) in the same saucepan. Add mustard and dry coriander leaves. Whisk milk in and bring to the boil.
Add grated cheese and simmer for around 5-10 minutes while stirring to prevent it from burning.
Arrange steamed cauliflower and frozen peas into a baking dish.
Pour cheese sauce over it. You can also scatter an extra grated cheese over (optional).
Bake for around 25-30 minutes until you have a golden-brown crust.
Recipe Note
Milk infusion step can be easily omitted if you are short of time. In this case, just use plain milk and exclude the spices. Infusion brings a lot of flavour to the dish. I always try to let it happen, unfortunately, sometimes I just don't have time for it.
Can this be frozen? And if so, does it defrost OK?
yumm this is really worth making . Had with crusty garlic buns
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