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Most of our favourite comfort foods are usually made from high amounts of fast, often teamed with refined carbohydrates, and refined sugars.
Indeed, this is why they are coined “comfort foods”, because they set off those bells and whistles in the brain that make us feel good. They give us a dopamine release as a reward for feeding ourselves high calorie foods, which was great in times of food scarcity, but not so great now.
But, did you know that you can make ALL of these so called ‘comfort foods’ healthy, and even whole foods plant based? This creamy, low fat cauliflower recipe made from white beans is one of them.
Why Is This cauliflower Cheese So Healthy?
This vegan cauliflower cheese recipe is 100% whole foods plant based. This means, no added oils or anything refined. This delicious dish really is just pure plant foods in their whole and natural form and nothing else.
Eating whole plant foods, with the omission of oils and refined sugars, is by far the most superior way to live the Vegan/Plant Based lifestyle when it comes to health and healing.
Plant foods offer exceptional nutrition, along with fibre, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.
This low fat cauliflower cheese made from white beans offers the following benefits:-
1. High Protein
White beans and nutritional yeast are both excellent protein sources, and we have used both of these in this plant based cauliflower cheese recipe. This more than makes up for the protein value of traditional cheese sauce, if that’s a concern of yours.
2. High Fibre
Not only is the cauliflower used in this recipe high in fibre, but so is the white bean cheese sauce itself (unlike traditional cheese sauce recipes). All legumes are high in fibre, which in turn is good for the gut, is low glycemic index, and will help to stabilise blood sugar.
3. Fills You Up
The high fibre and high protein value of white bean cauliflower cheese helps to keep you fuller for longer – definitely fuller than the classic cheese version.
4. Cauliflower Is High In Nutrition
This cauliflower cheese is BURSTING with nutrition.
The cauliflower itself is rich in antioxidants, boosts immunity, promotes heart health, is good for digestion, supports liver cleansing, is good for brain health, promotes great skin, supports bone health, and reduces inflammation.
5. White Beans Are High In Nutrition
White beans in general, such as navy, cannellini, lima, and great northern beans are BURSTING with nutrients and health benefits.
These include, digestive health due to high fibre content, blood sugar stabilising, heart healthy due to high potassium content, good for bones due to calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc, high in IRON for energy, and rich in folate and antioxidants.
White beans also help with electrolyte balance due to their high mineral content, and promote skin, kidney, and immune health.
6. B Vitamin Rich
The nutritional yeast in this white bean cheese sauce is high in B vitamins, specifically B12 (which is great for vegans).
Additionally, white beans are also a good source of key B vitamins, such as folate (essential for cell growth) and B6 ( which supports metabolism and brain health).
7. Weight Loss Friendly
Unlike traditional cauliflower cheese, this delicious plant based version is very low fat. Low fat foods, and an oil-free, plant based diet in general, is the best way to lose weight naturally without ever being hungry.
There are no added fats in this dish, though you can feel free to add a couple of teaspoons of your favourite butter to the sauce if you want to make it more indulgent (though it does not need it).
What To Serve With Cauliflower Cheese
Sometimes it can be hard to figure out just what to serve with traditional comfort food recipes such as this, especially if you want to keep your meal whole foods plant based.
Here are a few examples of how you can eat your white bean cauliflower cheese:-
- Just on its own! It’s actually a complete meal in itself if you eat a generous portion. You have vegetables, complex carbohydrates and protein all in one dish.
- With crispy, oil free roast potatoes.
- With oil free, charred chili-lemon asparagus.
- Perfect with fried onion rings in gravy with creamy mash.
- Serve with cinnamon and maple glazed, sweet potato wedges.
- Try with these meaty textured sausage burgers.
- Or, serve with delicious, slow baked BBQ beans.
Low Fat Cauliflower Cheese Made From White Beans
Equipment
- High speed blender
- Large baking pan
- Chopping knife
- Chopping board
Ingredients
- 1 large or two small heads cauliflower
- 1.5 cups creamy plant milk Make sure it is 'no added sugar' plant milk as you do not want sweetness in this dish. Oat or soy milk work well.
- ¾ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup water
- 1 can white beans, loosely drained Loosely drained mean most of the brining liquid poured out but not washing the beans through.
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp English mustard Optional, but helps give a 'cheesy' flavour.
- Salt and pepper To taste
- Chopped, fresh parsley for garnish Optional
Instructions
- Set your oven to a high heat of around 200 C (390F).
- Chop your cauliflower into large florets and get them on to steam, or lightly simmer. Steaming is best as it prevent excess water saturating your florets.
- Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, whizz up the rest of your ingredients until super creamy and smooth. Do not worry about your sauce appearing too thin at this point as it will thicken right up in the oven.
- Once your cauliflower is al dente (as in just over half cooked) you can take it off the heat. The reason you do not want to over-cook your cauliflower at this point is because you are also going to be baking it in the oven, which will do the rest of the cooking for you. Starting out with overcooked cauliflower before baking may result in your finished dish being too mushy (which of course can also be a matter of taste). Lay your simi-cooked cauliflower in a large baking dish (you may need two dishes) in one single layer. Try to get the floret side facing upwards, or at least on its side, because you want your cheese sauce to penetrate your florets as much as possible.
- Bake in the top half of your your oven for around 20-25 minutes, or until golden and slightly charred, for flavour. Baste half way through with the sauce in the pan to help get the sauce into the cauliflower as much as possible.
- Serve with a fresh parsley garnish, roast potatoes and possibly some green veggies for a complete, protein-rich meal.
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