Slow Cooker Cauliflower Cheese Recipe

A super tasty and healthy slow cooker cauliflower cheese that's low fat and unofficially Slimming World friendly.

Did you know I still have a copy of the BBC Good Food Christmas magazine from 2011?  

I can't throw it away because there are so many great recipes but there is a delicious infused Cauliflower Cheese recipe in there and I've always remembered its beautiful taste.

The trick is to infuse the milk first with onions and a bay leaf and oh my word, it takes a creamy roux to a next level.

Obviously, the original recipe is higher in fat than I'd care for. So in February, I took that backbone concept to make my scrummy unofficial Slimming World Dauphinoise Potatoes Recipe. But with most SW white sauce recipes, there is often splitting and after a few requests for today's recipe, I wanted to experiment with it a little bit more.

I'd recently learned a trick off Foodie Laura for thickening stews with a tablespoon or two of oats and it really does work and you can't even tell they're in there.  I've asked many of you on Facebook groups and everyone said this is perfectly acceptable not to be classified as the dreaded tweak; (side note: a tweak is where you take something syn free, say couscous and turn it into a cake).  

My thoughts are as long as you're counting it as part of your healthy extra, I personally don't see it being sinful and porridge gets cooked any way. But to make sure, always ask your consultant for the real answer.  If you're not on a special slimming diet, then do not fret; it's lower in fat and that's all you need to know.

I estimate this recipe to also be syn free if you serve it as a side among 4 people using their healthy extras, but not if you're going to share it between two.  

So here it is, my latest pride and joy.  Sadly I haven't avoided a little bit of splitting again. I think most of us are forever working on that, but if you get past its looks, it really is full of flavour.

 Recipe - Serves 4

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World.  Slimming World's website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/
*Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.

• 1 cauliflower cut in to florets
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 400ml semi or skimmed milk *(100ml of each person's Healthy Extra A)
• 80g low fat cheese, grated *(20g of each person's Healthy Extra A)
• 2 tablespoon or 18g porridge oats *(4.5g of each person's Healthy Extra B)
• 1 bay leaf
• Seasoning
• Smoked paprika

1. Firstly, if you like a bit of crunch to your cauliflower then pop it straight into the slow cooker raw.  If you like them softer, then blanch them for 10 minutes in boiling water, drain and add to the slow cooker.
2. Now chuck in the remaining ingredients except the paprika, cover and cook on low for 2 hours without stirring.
3. Remove the bay leaf, serve and top with a dash of paprika and don't forget to take a snap and tag me on Instagram (#TastefullyVikkie) with a pic of your cauli!

📖 Recipe