INGREDIENTS:
- 8 oz brown rice penne (or whole wheat)
- 1/2 large head of cauliflower, riced in a food processor or minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 5 garlic gloves, inced
- 1 tbsp. olive oil, extra virgin
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (or spelt)
- 2 cups milk (I used almond milk)
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 cups (8 oz) Colby cheese, shredded and divided
- Cooking spray
- *Optional: diced mushrooms (sautéed), Frank's Red Hot Sauce
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add pasta. Cook for 10 minutes on low. (The noodles should not be fully cooked.) Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again, and then transfer to a large mixing bowl. NOTE: if you are using any other type of pasta, follow package instructions, but under cook by 4 minutes.
3. Add cauliflower to pasta in mixing bowl and set aside.
4. Preheat large skillet on low heat and add olive oil. onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add flour to skillet and cook for another minute or until flour is well combined.
6. Whisk in milk, raising the heat to medium-high, bringing it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low-medium and cook for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes, remove from heat and add 1 cup of the cheese, salt and black pepper and stir until sauce is smooth.
7. Pour mixture from skillet into the bowl with the cauliflower and pasta and mix well. The mixture should be thick and not saucy.
8. Transfer mixture to previously prepared baking dish, level with a spatula and top with the remaining cheese.
9. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and a golden crust and edges appear.
10. ENJOY! Add some Frank's for some extra kick!!
