Vegan Cauliflower “Cheese”

Whilst I personally eat and adore dairy (cheese included!) - this remains one of my favourite recipes from The Food Effect Diet Vegan book and a staple in The Food Effect house.

Even my meat-eating hubby adores this dish!

Serves 3-4

900g frozen cauliflower

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. paprika + extra for sprinkling

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Vegan “Cheese” Sauce

¾ cup unsweetened almond or soya milk

3 Tbsp. tahini

½ cup nutritional yeast

¾ tsp. fine sea salt

¼ tsp. black pepper Extra Nutritional Yeast, to serve

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (356F). To make the sauce, start by mixing the tahini with 3 Tbsp. of the almond or soya milk in a small bowl, by hand with a spoon, very vigorously for 1-2 minutes until a thick creamy paste is formed. Then add the remaining almond milk, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and stir well to combine. Set aside.

Place the frozen cauliflower in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and add all the spices. Toss together to coat well. Tip the cauliflower mixture into a 9-inch square baking dish. Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour over the cheese sauce. Sprinkle liberally with extra paprika. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until cooked and golden. To serve: Sprinkle with additional Nutritional Yeast, and serve with a green salad and brown/basmati rice.