Cauliflower forms the heart of this nutritious reboot of macaroni and cheese recipe from Wholefood Child by Louise Keats, much-loved Australian author, nutrition writer, mother, home cook and granddaughter of Australian cooking legend Margaret Fulton.

“Fads come and go, but ultimately all you need to know is that if your child is eating a variety of wholefoods, cooked from scratch, you’ll be giving them the best possible start nutritionally.”

Tip: This recipe was written for the Thermomix, but steps 1-8 can be adapted to stovetop cooking.

Ingredients

60 g Parmesan cheese, cut into pieces (2-3 cm), plus extra shaved to serve (optional)

60 g vintage cheddar cheese, cut into pieces (2-3 cm)

1000 g water

150 g dried macaroni pasta

240 g cauliflower, cut into florets

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

30 g butter, cut into pieces

40 g plain flour

250 g milk of choice

pinch sea salt, to taste (optional)

pinch ground black pepper, to taste (optional)

Useful items: Thermal serving bowl or other large bowl, ramekins (8 cm, 250 ml), baking tray, bowl

Method

1.

Place cheeses into Thermomix mixing bowl and grate 6 sec/speed 5. Transfer into a bowl and set aside.

2.

Place water into mixing bowl and heat 8 min/100°C/speed 2.

3.

Add pasta into mixing bowl. Insert simmering basket and weigh cauliflower into it, then cook 10 min/100°C//speed 1 or until pasta and cauliflower are tender.

4.

Carefully remove simmering basket with aid of spatula and set aside. Drain pasta, then transfer into a thermal serving bowl or other large bowl. Stir oil through pasta, then cover to keep warm. Dry mixing bowl.

5.

Preheat oven to 220°C. Place butter and flour into mixing bowl and cook 5 min/90°C/speed 1

6.

Add milk and reserved grated cheeses, then cook 7 min/90°C/speed 3.

7.

Add reserved cauliflower and blend 40 sec/speed 7. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.

8.

Add reserved pasta and combine 8 sec/speed 3. For older children and adults, add a pinch of sea salt (optional) and ground black pepper (optional).

9.

Divide between 5 x 250 ml capacity ramekins. Place onto a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes (220°C) or until golden on top. Set aside to cool slightly, then garnish with shaved Parmesan (optional) just before serving.