Easy Weeknight Dinners - Macaroni and Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

I love macaroni and cheese, and will often whip up a batch on a whim. However, I'm sure it's not the healthiest thing to keep at the top of my roster of quick meals. I was really excited to see this version using cauliflower instead of cheese. There is still a bit of cheese, a tiny amount of cream, and the winner for all recipes - bacon! I used a new bacon I'd never tried from Two Rivers Meats that was part of a freezer pack I'd purchased for a fundraiser this summer. I've got to say, I might have found a new favourite bacon. One note for this recipe, the instructions say to use a blender, which I did. I think you could just as easily use a food processor to make the sauce, whatever you prefer.

Macaroni and Creamy Cauliflower Sauce (adapted from Canadian Living)
- 6 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 cloves garlic, halved
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp whipping cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
- 375 g small shell pasta or macaroni
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 4 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped

In large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook cauliflower and garlic for 10 minutes, until tender. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid and drain. Transfer to blender or food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Add cheese, whipping cream, mustard, salt and pepper and reserved cooking liquid. Puree until smooth.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions - adding peas during last 2 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid and drain. Return to pot and stir in cauliflower mixture, lemon juice, bacon and enough reserved cooking liquid to coat.

Enjoy!