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Keto Mac ‘N Cheese Recipe (Dairy-Free)
When I decided to go dairy-free for my health, the only dairy-free milk and cheese alternatives on the market were made from soy. Believing that soy was good for me, I dived into the soy products with great gusto.
While I did find some relief from my chronic stomach pains and constipation, which was due to the fact that I also remove gluten from my diet, I still didn’t feel as well as I knew I should.
So, I went back to researching, and I found that soy was not as healthy as everyone said it was! I was shocked because soy was supposed to be a healthy plant-based dairy substitute.
Once I removed soy from my diet and replaced it with keto dairy substitutes, my health finally started to improve and all of the chronic stomach pains as well as constipation that had plagued me for so long began to disappear.
Soy Isn’t a Health Food
- Soy is a goitrogen. This means that soy can negatively impact the thyroid because it blocks iodine absorption, which slows down your thyroid function. Soy can also cause an enlarged thyroid, which is commonly known as a goiter.
- Soy irritates the gut. Soy contains phytates and lectins, which can cause inflammation as well as leaky gut syndrome.
- Soy is highly processed. Soybeans are processed with a petroleum-based solvent to extract the soybean oil. The leftover “sludge” that was once considered a waste product is now used in soy-based shakes, bars, protein powders, veggie burgers and more.
- Soy is genetically modified. It is estimated that over 90% of the soybean crops in the US are genetically modified. While the jury is out on the effects GMO foods have on your body, it might not be a risk you are willing to take.
You can read this post to find out even more reasons why you might want to avoid soy and soy products.
Ways to Enjoy Cauliflower “Cheese” Sauce
Our cauliflower “cheese” sauce in this recipe is amazing. However, if you just want to make the “cheese” sauce, simply use just a half a cauliflower head (about 11 oz or 300 g) with the rest of the remaining ingredients and follow steps 2 and 3 in the directions.
You can use our cauliflower “cheese” sauce over your favorite keto pasta for a delicious keto meal that won’t make you feel deprived or that you are missing out. Personally, my favorites are spaghetti squash and shirataki noodles.
Another way to enjoy the cauliflower “cheese” sauce is as a topping on your favorite burger or slider. It can also be used as a cheesy topping to our much loved chicken bacon pancakes or even pork carnitas.
Our cauliflower “cheese” sauce also makes a great dip. Try it with chicken nuggets, chicken strips, or even pizza meatball bites! And what about pork rinds dipped in our cauliflower “cheese” sauce?
Of course, our cauliflower “cheese” sauce is so delicious that I won’t blame you if you just enjoy it with a spoon!
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Description
This keto, dairy-free mac ‘n “cheese” uses cauliflower, cashews and nutritional yeast to make a delicious cheesy sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 heads cauliflower (900 g), broken into small florets, divided
- 1/2 cup of cashews (2.6 oz or 73 g), soaked overnight in filtered water and drained
- 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast (32 g)
- 1 Tablespoon of turmeric (6 g)
- 1 teaspoon of mustard (5 ml)
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (1 g)
- 1 Tablespoon of olive oil (15 ml)
- 1/2 cup of filtered hot water (120 ml) (plus additional, if needed)
- 1 Tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley (1 g), for garnish
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets from the 1/2 head of cauliflower and boil for 10 minutes until very soft. Remove the florets with a slotted spoon and place in a food processor or high-speed blender.
- Add the soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, turmeric, mustard, garlic powder, olive oil and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of filtered water to the food processor or blender and blend until smooth. If needed, add additional filtered water to the “cheese” sauce until desired consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Meanwhile, add the remaining florets from the whole head of cauliflower to the same pot of water and boil for 6 to 8 minutes until tender. Drain well and add to a large bowl.
- Add the “cheese” sauce to the drained cauliflower and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If desired, the dish can be served at this point.
- Place the mixture in a casserole dish and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Garnish the dish with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
Nutritional data is estimated and per serving. Net carbs per serving is 7 g.
Nutrition
- Calories: 128
- Sugar: 5
- Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 13
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 7
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