As you can probably tell by reading this blog, I love a comforting, carb-loaded, cheesy pasta dish. It has been a bit of a struggle in the heat of summer, however to convince my husband that A) it is good for our diet and B) turning the oven on in this heat is a great idea. I am definitely a Pinterest person, and I had been seeing lots of Cauliflower sauces for pasta recently popping up on my feeds. That’s when it clicked! If I could take care of problem A, I could definitely get away with problem B, and this dreamy dish was born, and let me tell you, there wasn’t much convincing needed! Pasta, cheese but less of the calories? Done.

But if I was going to make Mac & Cheese that totally revolved around cauliflower, I would forgo my usual breadcrumb crust and make a crispy cauliflower confection that would bring crunch and a bit of a kick with some heat of cayenne pepper. It is not as much a crust as it is a topping, but it gives a great textural contrast to the creaminess of the Mac & Cheese. Try making the Cauliflower sauce for other types of pasta dishes as well, like an Alfredo, or pouring on top of sliced potatoes or other vegetables for a healthier take on scalloped potatoes! My favorite dishes have elements that I can use lots of different ways, and this cauliflower sauce is definitely one of them. My husband said this was the best Mac & Cheese I have ever made and it will be kept on our list of healthier dinner ideas.