Cauliflower Alfredo with Chicken, Broccoli, and Whole Grain Pasta

Cauliflower Alfredo with Chicken, Broccoli, and Whole Grain Pasta

Cooked cauliflower blends with grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and low sodium chicken broth to make a super silky and creamy sauce (with no cream!).  This recipe is really easy and uses ingredients that you can keep on hand in your freezer and pantry.   Add a little more Parmesan cheese to the sauce if you have to please picky palates.  My kids gave this two thumbs up for dinner last night.  Pair with a fresh fruit salad for a comforting dinner meal.

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) bag frozen cauliflower

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1-1/2 tsp. salt, divided (most is discarded)

½ tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. olive oil

8 ounces whole wheat rotini, uncooked

1 (16 oz.) bag frozen broccoli florets

1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces

freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Directions:

Prepare cauliflower and chicken: In a medium pot, combine frozen cauliflower, chicken broth, and ¼ teaspoon of salt; place over medium heat.  Simmer for 6-8 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower into a blender.  Use a ladle to transfer one cup of the cooking liquid to the blender, leave the rest of the cooking liquid in the pot.  Add chicken to the reserved cooking liquid in the pot.  Cover and simmer the chicken over medium heat until cooked through about 6-8 minutes depending on the size of your pieces.  Remove from heat.

Cook pasta and broccoli: While cauliflower is cooking, bring a large covered pot of water to boil over high heat.  When the pasta water comes to a boil, add 1 teaspoon of salt and whole grain pasta.  Lower to medium heat and simmer the pasta for 5 minutes.  Add broccoli to the pasta and cook for 4-5 more minutes or until pasta is al dente and broccoli is cooked through.  Drain pasta and broccoli over a colander.

Blend cauliflower sauce:  In a blender, combine cooked cauliflower, 1 cup of cooking liquid, grated Parmesan, ½ tsp. garlic powder, and 1 Tbsp. of olive oil; blend until smooth about 3-5 minutes (it should be really silky and creamy).

In the empty pasta pot, combine pasta, broccoli, chicken, and sauce.  Stir to combine.  Top with a little extra grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Nutrition Facts (1/4 recipe):  470 calories, 10 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 55 g carbohydrates, 14 g fiber, 46 g protein, 755 mg sodium.  Each serving contains 2 cups vegetables, 1 lean protein, 1 whole grain.

Nutrition Facts (1/6 recipe):  313 calories, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 37 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 31 g protein, 503 mg sodium.

Main ingredients are easy to keep on hand:

Blend cooked cauliflower with grated Parmesan, olive oil, and garlic powder to make an easy “alfredo”:

Printable recipe here.