We enjoy experimenting with different recipes for cauliflower. When I was a kid, my family mainly ate meat, potatoes, and sweet corn. Now, Amy and I love cauliflower in various ways, such as having it raw with dips, roasted, or as cauliflower rice with cilantro or pesto. If my mom had this amazing cauliflower au gratin recipe when I was a kid, I'm sure my dad would have loved it, too. The Swiss cheese complements the flavor of the cauliflower so well.
Cauliflower Gratin
New focus
Our primary aim is to create delectable recipes that are healthy, accomplished by decreasing the fat content. The Cauliflower Au Gratin recipe from the NY Times cookbook is one of our favorites, which we have prepared numerous times. Once we decided to adopt healthier eating habits, we began to pay closer attention to what we consumed. Although we started by measuring everything we ate, we soon realized that eating the same food daily was becoming monotonous, and we had to eat less. So, we decided to get imaginative and revamp some of our preferred recipes to make them healthier while retaining their great flavors. One of the first recipes we attempted to make healthier was this Cauliflower Gratin recipe - it's incredibly delicious, so we had to figure out a way to make it nutritious!
Changes we made to Cauliflower Gratin Recipe
We've made a few tweaks to the NY Times cauliflower Gratin recipe to make it just as tasty but with fewer calories. It still has all the delicious flavor of the original recipe but with a healthier twist! I think we made it better. . .sorry NY Times. Haha
In our final version of the reimagined cauliflower gratin recipe, we reduced the amount of butter and cream and replaced them with lower-calorie alternatives. The original recipe called for 1 ½ tablespoons of butter, which has 135 calories. Instead, we used 1 tablespoon of olive oil, which has only 119 calories. We also substituted the ¾ cups of heavy cream, which has 616 calories, with non-fat evaporated milk, which is only 162 calories. We kept the amount of cheese unchanged, so it didn't affect the flavor.
By making these changes, we were able to maintain the original recipe's delicious flavor while saving 470 calories. Hey, now I can have a glass of wine without worrying about the calories!!!
TIPS:
- It is important to measure everything when it comes to food. We bought a kitchen scale to make it easier to measure the ingredients and the amount of food we put on our plates.
- It is also a good idea to build your plates away from the serving dishes to avoid overeating.
- Even if the food tastes great, it is important to resist the temptation to go back for seconds. I have to say this cauliflower gratin you are gonna want seconds!
NOTE: If you are a vegetarian, just cut out the Prosciutto (or if you want to cut a few more calories). I like the sweet and salty flavor of the Prosciutto, so we didn't cut that from the recipe.
Looking for more recipe options? We have some suggestions you might enjoy.
- Scallop potato au gratin - This classic Creamy, Cheesy Ham Au Gratin Scalloped Potatoes recipe is so simple to make and will be loved by your entire family.
- Cheesy Spicy Spinach - Make your dinner even better by adding some mouth-watering Spicy Spinach with parmesan, Swiss cheese, habanero, and garlic!
- Pesto Cauliflower Rice - Combine zesty pesto with cauliflower rice to create a healthy and delicious side dish that brings the taste of summer to your plate.
- Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower - Crunchy air-fried cauliflower tossed in a spicy, tangy sauce. Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower has all the irresistible flavor of buffalo wings for an easy snack.
- Air Fryer Cauliflower Parmesan - Crunchy Air Fryer Cauliflower Parmesan is an easy, low-fat alternative to an Italian restaurant classic you can make and enjoy at home.
Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin
A Few Things We Use
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic or 1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder
- 2 Ounces Prosciutto
- 4 Cups Cauliflower About ½ of a large head of cauliflower
- 1 Tablespoon Flour
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Optional
- 1 Cup Low-Fat Evaporated Milk
- ¾ Cup Swiss Cheese
- 2 Tablespoons Parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and slice 2 cloves of garlic or use 1 teaspoon of minced garlic. Slice the Prosciutto into thin strips.2 Cloves Garlic or 1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder, 4 Cups Cauliflower, 2 Ounces Prosciutto
- Start by heating olive oil in a pan, then add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Once the garlic starts to cook, add prosciutto and continue to sauté until crispy, for about a minute.1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- Add the cauliflower to a pan and sauté it for 3 to 6 minutes until it begins to soften and lose its crispness.Mix in the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper with the cauliflower. After that, add the evaporated milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, remove the pan from the heat.1 Tablespoon Flour, 1 teaspoon Sea Salt, ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper, 1 Cup Low-Fat Evaporated Milk
- Place the cauliflower into a shallow baking dish.4 Cups Cauliflower
- Sprinkle the Swiss cheese and parsley on top¾ Cup Swiss Cheese, 2 Tablespoons Parsley
- Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling and the cheese is melted.
- Enjoy
Please let us know what you think