Keto Bacon Mac 'N' Cheese

This is a fabulous meal for those of you following a low-carb & Keto Diet or anyone just craving some good old-fashioned comfort food.

INGREDIENTS:

• Coconut oil, for the dish

• 1 large head cauliflower (about 1 & ⅔ pounds / 750 g), cored and broken into ½-inch (1.25-cm) pieces

•  ⅓ Cup finely chopped fresh parsley (22 g)

• 6 strips bacon (about 6 oz/170 g), cooked until crisp, then crumbled (reserve the grease)

•  2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk (475 ml)

• 2 Tbsp unflavored gelatin

• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

•  1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp finely ground gray sea salt

• ¼ tsp garlic powder

•  ⅓ Cup nutritional yeast (22 g)

• 2 large eggs, beaten

•  2 tsp prepared yellow mustard

• 2 oz pork dust or ground pork rinds (60 g)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a shallow 1½-quart (1.4-L) casserole dish with coconut oil. Set aside.
2. Place the cauliflower, parsley, and bacon in a large bowl and toss to combine.
3. Place the reserved bacon grease, milk, gelatin, lemon juice, onion powder, salt, and garlic powder in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Once boiling, continue to boil for 5 minutes.
4. Whisk in the nutritional yeast, eggs, and mustard and gently cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly.
   05. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the “cheese” sauce over the cauliflower mixture. (If you’ve overcooked the sauce or didn’t whisk it well enough, you may end up with small pieces of cooked egg; for an ultra-smooth sauce, pour the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer.) Toss with a spatula until all the cauliflower pieces are coated in the cheese sauce.
5. Transfer the coated cauliflower to the prepared casserole dish and smooth it out with the back of a spatula. Sprinkle the pork dust evenly over the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cauliflower is fork-tender, checking with a sharp knife on the edge of the casserole.
6. Allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.
7. STORE IT: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
8. REHEAT IT: Microwave until the desired temperature is reached. Or place in a covered casserole dish and reheat in a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until warmed through. Or reheat in a frying pan, covered, on medium-low.
9. PREP AHEAD: Prepare the cheese sauce up to 2 days in advance. Bring it to a light simmer before continuing with Step 5.
10. SERVE IT WITH: Add a dollop or two of mayonnaise.

NUTRITION (per serving):

• Calories 440
• Calories from fat 244
• Total fat 27 g
• Saturated fat 8.8 g
•  Cholesterol 128 mg
• Sodium 973 mg
• Carbs 14.6 g
• Dietary fiber 6.6 g
• Net carbs 8 g
•  Sugars 4.8 g
•  Protein 34.6 g