Skip to main content

Cauliflower Alfredo

 

With the last of the garden basil


I'm pretty sure I tried this recipe once before and failed at it. I probably undercooked the cauliflower and I definitely didn't puree it for long enough. I'm glad I tried again. I'd forgotten how delicious fettuccine alfredo is, and I'm so happy to have a healthier, dairy-free version.

It's yet another amazing recipe from Pinch of Yum. I only made small changes: I replaced the heavy cream with almond milk, omitted the nutmeg, and inadvertently doubled the butter and oil because I halved the recipe and forgot to halve those, but it's delicious that way and still quite healthy. Oh, and I didn't add any pasta water because the consistency was perfect without it. 


The Recipe:
1/2 lb fettuccine noodles
12 oz cauliflower florets
3 c vegetable broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tb butter
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of black pepper
1 tb olive oil
1/8 c almond milk
  • Boil the fettuccine according to instructions on package. 
  • In a large saucepan, boil the cauliflower in the vegetable broth for at least 15 minutes. A few extra minutes results in creamier sauce.
  • Saute the garlic in the butter.
  • Add cooked cauliflower and sauteed garlic with butter to a food processor with half of the broth, salt, and pepper. Start processing, and drizzle in the olive oil. Add additional broth as needed to help it move. Puree this mixture for 5 minutes.
  • Put the sauce back in the pan and cook it over low heat. Mix in the almond milk and season with additional salt to taste. Add a splash of pasta water if necessary to thin it out.
  • Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce, and serve.

The Verdict:
Overall grade: A
Overall reason: Healthy and delicious.
Time to prepare: 30 minutes
Husband quote: (Taking first bites) "YUM! FETTUCCINE ALFREDO!"  Me: "Do you think it's alfredo sauce?"  Husband: "... Yes..."

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Kitchen renovation!

BEFORE: AFTER: Still to come: a beautiful new induction range and some wood shelving on the left side, above the backsplash. And maybe the shelving unit on the wall facing the cabinets should be green, but we're going to live with a while before making that decision.

Red lentil dal

Cucumber salad is key. This dal is perfect. Most of us took seconds, and I'm really excited to eat the last portion that's sitting in the fridge right now. The accompanying salad is really great for adding texture, crunch, and acidity to the meal. I wouldn't skip it. I got it from  Tea for Turmeric  and prepared it pretty much as written, but doubled and with none of the optional ingredients. This recipe doesn't mention any seasoning/dressing on the salad, but adding lemon and salt to it really brightened things up. The Recipe: (from Tea for Turmeric) 2 c red lentils splash of avocado oil 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 small onions, finely chopped 1 inch ginger, grated 4 small tomatoes, chopped 2 thai chilies, minced 2 tsp cumin powder 2 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp cayenne 1 tsp turmeric 2+ tsp kosher salt 2 tsp lemon juice 1/2 c cilantro, chopped For serving: basmati rice and plain yogurt Salad ingredients: 1/2 english cucumber, sliced 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered 1/4 onion, slic...

Vietnamese Curry Stir-Fry

  When I get the recipe just right, I'll go to the effort of adding fried shallots on top. I'm back to my on-and-off mission of trying to make a stir-fry as delicious as the shrimp I used to get at  Pho Grand  in St. Louis during college. It was called "cari tom" but it definitely wasn't a coconut milk type of curry, and they ALSO have a separate listing on their menu for "cari tom dac biet" which includes "coconut milk sauce" in their description. So I'm pretty sure it was just a stir-fry that had curry flavors in it? I got myself a big container of Vietnamese curry powder and I'm going to keep experimenting. This is the closest I've come so far. Changes for the future: - More oil and sugar, restaurant style - A blend of fish sauce and soy sauce, instead of just soy sauce - Fried shallots on top The Recipe (adapted from  Veggie Anh ): 3 tb fresh lemongrass, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 Thai chili, minced 1 pinch salt 2 tb avoc...