high protein cauliflower alfredo sauce

creamy pasta, that's all i could think about for dinner last night.  and i wasn't in the mood for mac 'n cheeze, although we did try angela's recipe last week and loved it.  no, last night i wanted alfredo.

i'm not even a huge alfredo fan, though i did love it up earlier this fall when i tried my hand at a raw version.  but this - this is something different.  this is a luxuriously creamy number that wraps up into a big 'ol bowl of comfort.  and it's really easy.  and it's gluten-free.  and full protein too.

oh yes, and of course it includes some kale, for good measure.

i had a beauty of a cauliflower from my csa {sigh, this week was one of the last 3 of the season...} and over the long weekend i remembered that i was telling someone about how much i love mashed cauliflower in the place of mashed potatoes.  {have you tried that yet?  it's amazing!}  anyways, so i thought, why not use mashed cauliflower as a base for a creamy pasta sauce?  i also had some white beans in the fridge leftover from the savoury tart i made earlier this week, so i added those to the sauce for added creaminess and protein.

high protein cauliflower alfredo
makes 3 1/2 cups of sauce
1/2 head cauliflower, about 2 cups worth
1 cup white beans (drained and rinsed if using canned)
1 - 1 1/4 cup almond milk
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large shallot (i used 3 because mine were tiny)
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup kale (i used toscano kale)
1/8 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil
dash nutmeg
your favourite cooked pasta

start by cutting the cauliflower into large florets and add them to a pot of boiling water.  cook until soft, about 15-20 minutes, then drain.  while the cauliflower is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and saute the shallots until softened and lightly browned.

place the cooked cauliflower in a blender along with the white beans, almond milk, sauteed shallots, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and a dash of nutmeg.  blend until silky smooth.  season to taste with sea salt & pepper.  pour enough needed to coat the cooked pasta and mix.  fold in the sundried tomatoes and kale and heat through.

place any remaining sauce in a sealed container in the fridge and use within a few days.

then sit down and enjoy a warm bowl of comforting goodness. 

this was so good, and so rich and creamy that it was honestly hard to believe that someone hadn't snuck some dairy in when i wasn't looking.  {for the record, no one did!} the cauliflower and the white beans really worked some magic here.  perfect for the cool, rainy weather that's set in too.

happy weekend!
xo
jess

submitted to wellness weekends at diet, dessert and dogs.