Who doesn’t love a cheesy pasta bake? They’re super simple to make and always delicious.

Use up any veg in the fridge, bulk up classics like cauliflower cheese or just keep it simple and use different cheeses.

Have you been following the Veg Power, Eat them to defeat them campaign? 

Each week they focus on a different vegetable and share fun recipes and tips for your little one. Coincidentally, I made this cauliflower dish during cauliflower week! My two love cauliflower, always have. I find this strange as I hated it as a kid, I grew to love it and even now I have to be in the mood for it. But hey, I’m not going to grumble, they eat it. 

This recipe makes enough for 4 servings (2 adult portions, 2 child portions). 

Perfect for BLW. You can substitute dairy for non dairy alternatives.

INGREDIENTS

1 cauliflower, broken into florets

10 leaves of cabbage roughly sliced

200g wholewheat pasta

50g of cheese (your choice, I used cheddar) grated

Knob of butter roughly 25g

300-500ml of milk 

120g of plain flour 

1tsp ground nutmeg

Pinch of salt and pepper

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180c (fan)

Cook pasta as per packet instructions. Reduce cooking time by 2-3 mins to keep pasta firm. For last 5mins of cooking time add cauliflower and cabbage.

Melt butter over a low heat. 

Add flour and mix until a paste. 

Slowly pour in milk and whisk continuously until you have a sauce consistency. Use more or less milk depending on how thick you like your sauce. 

Add nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir.

Drain pasta and veggies. Add them to an oven proof dish. 

Cover with sauce and sprinkle with cheese. 

Bake for 20-30mins or until golden brown.

Eat. Enjoy.

I served this with some baked salmon. You can eat this on its own or as a side dish.