{"id":15319,"date":"2014-03-02T15:20:11","date_gmt":"2014-03-02T23:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shescookin.com\/?p=15319"},"modified":"2020-04-14T09:38:18","modified_gmt":"2020-04-14T16:38:18","slug":"cauliflower-mac-cheese-muffins-low-carb-gluten-free","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shescookin.com\/cauliflower-mac-cheese-muffins-low-carb-gluten-free\/","title":{"rendered":"Cauliflower Mac & Cheese Muffins {Low Carb, Gluten Free}"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/p>\n Finally, a macaroni and cheese recipe that is not only gluten free, but lower in carbs, calories, and fat – yet, still satisfies your inner craving with all its cheesy goodness and crunchy crumblies. The low carb secret is in the cauliflower – half gluten free pasta and half roasted cauliflower, which adds nutritional value and fiber and can be our secret, if you wish. College Girl will be ecstatic because she, being a normal kid, loved Mac & Cheese (I stocked Annie’s Organic White Cheddar) but has curtailed her consumption in adulthood. Seriously, I would not lie to you. Sure, Macaroni & Cheese is one of America’s all-time favorite comfort foods, but I’ve never made it at home and order it in restaurants only on rare occasions when kids (big and little) request it or it is served as a shareable side.<\/p>\n What about the lower calorie and fat content? Using only a half cup of low calorie, low sodium\u00a0Karoun Labne<\/a> (labneh) Kefir cheese (only 60 calories per 2 tablespoons and a mere 15 mg. of sodium), combined with half a cup of light whipped cream cheese, these two cheeses lend the necessary creaminess to the mac & cheese, leaving the big flavor to French Comt\u00e9 –\u00a0\u00a0also known as “Gruy\u00e8re de Comt\u00e9”- which has a strong, slightly sweet, buttery flavor that is\u00a0milder than some of the more “biting” Swiss cheeses of the same family. Comt\u00e9 also melts beautifully – absolutely essential in macaroni and cheese!<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Total cheese in this recipe is only 1-2\/3 cup. In comparison, many mac & cheese recipes call for 3+ cups of sharp cheddar or a combination of cheeses – calories none of us need – especially after being cooped up indoors for much of the winter!\u00a0We also appreciate\u00a0Comt\u00e9’s versatility as an appetizer cheese as it is a friendly pairing with wine, beer, and spirits – and, for my husband’s sake, has about half of the sodium content of other aged cheeses.<\/p>\n As far as gluten free, Ancient Harvest Quinoa<\/a> elbows cooked up nicely, staying firm as long as you don’t over cook the pasta. I measured the pasta and used exactly 2 ounces, which has a total of 46 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of fiber – divided among 12 servings, that is less than 4 grams of carbs per muffin. Almond flour mixed with paprika provides the golden, crunchy topping, with pistachios adding another layer of texture and more tasty nutrition. The cute little muffins make convenient serving sizes for portion control and are perfect for snacks or lunch at the office. For school lunches, the muffins can be warmed and stored in a thermal cup.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0But let’s get to the recipe, already!<\/p>\n