With the tangy flavors of cheddar cheese and ranch seasoning, this low carb roasted cauliflower recipe is destined to become your new favourite.

You know those ingredients in your cupboard that hang out there for a long time before you figure out a good use for them? I have a number of these at any given moment. Some are gifted to me by friends and family, some I pick up on my travels and exploits and some just seem to appear there without me having any recollection of how they arrived. They’re just there and as I reach for another ingredient, I often see them and think “I really need to find a way to use that”. This is so typically me, as I love to shop for spices and flavourings without any specific recipe in mind. I like having them around, just in case inspiration strikes. And when it does, it feels so good to finally use that item that’s been staring me in the face for so long.

For quite some time, I’ve had a canister of the Cabot Cheddar Cheese Shake hanging out there. Actually, at one point I even had two of them but I gave one to my mother in her Christmas stocking. Knowing that everything from Cabot Creamery is tasty stuff, I knew I wanted to keep it, but I was just not sure how to best put it to good low carb use. I considered it as something I would shake on popcorn, and since I don’t eat popcorn, it sat there unused for some months.

But sometimes when divine inspiration strikes, it strikes like a thunderbolt. Knocks you down and you lie flattened for a second, your mind blown that you didn’t think of it before. Roasted cauliflower is such a great low carb alternative for more carby snack items like popcorn and potato chips. It takes on a nutty quality and you find yourself popping it into your mouth in fistfuls, just as you did with a big bag of Smartfood in the old days. But the best part is that you won’t have a tummy ache at the end of your binge. It was just a matter of time before I put the roasted cauliflower and the powdered cheddar cheese together in the same sentence.

All of this came to me on a dreary evening early last spring when a head of cauliflower was all I had for veggies to serve for dinner. I wanted something a little different, with some great flavours my family would love. A little homemade ranch seasoning was the first idea that came to mind and as I rifled through the spice cupboard gathering up my dried dill and garlic powder, I spied the Cheddar Cheese Shaker. I nearly fell off the stool I was standing on, I was so shocked that it hadn’t occurred to me earlier. It was delicious and it became an instant hit. It’s tangy and it’s cheesy and it just brings roasted cauliflower to a whole new level. I have made it at least a dozen times since the spring. Now it’s your turn!

Cheddar Ranch Roasted Cauliflower

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Serves 6 servings

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With the tangy flavors of cheddar cheese and ranch seasoning, this low carb roasted cauliflower recipe is destined to become your new favourite.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp dried dill weed
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp cheddar cheese powder such as Cabot Shaker
• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
• 2 to 3 tbsp avocado oil
• Kosher salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the dill weed, parsley, garlic powder and onion powder. Set aside.
3. Lay cauliflower in a single layer in a large baking dish or on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss to combine.
4. Roast until cauliflower is tender and golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove and transfer to bowl. Toss to coat with herb and cheddar mixture.
5. Serve warm.

by Carolyn

Recipe Notes

Serves 6 as a side dish. Each serving has 3.75 g of carbs and 1.39 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 2.36 g.

Food energy: 81kcal Total fat: 11.68g Calories from fat: 105 Cholesterol: 3mg Carbohydrate, by difference: 3.75g Total dietary fiber: 1.39g Protein: 2.24g Sodium: 332mg

 

Looking for delicious low carb, high fat recipes that really satisfy? Check out my new cookbook, The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen.

Please note: This recipe is not sponsored in any way.