TUNA "RICE" CASSEROLE VARIATION
24 ounces fresh cauliflower, shredded, 1 small-medium head
2 tablespoons butter
2 stalks celery, diced
3 6-ounce cans tuna, drained
4 ounce can mushrooms, drained
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2-1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dry minced onion
Put the cauliflower in a 3-4 quart casserole with a lid. Add 3 tablespoons of water, cover and microwave on HIGH 8-10 minutes until just tender, stirring every couple minutes. Do not overcook. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter.
Meanwhile, sauté the celery in the remaining tablespoon of butter until very tender. In a medium microwaveable bowl, mix the cheese and cream. Microwave 2 minutes on HIGH to melt the cheese; stir until well blended and creamy. Whisk in the mayonnaise, seasonings and dry onion.
Stir the celery, tuna and mushrooms into the cauliflower; add the cheese sauce and mix well. It can be covered and chilled at this point and baked later. Bake, uncovered, at 350º for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Add an extra 5-10 minutes to baking time if chilled.
Makes 8 servings
Can be frozen
Per Serving: 410 Calories; 32g Fat; 24g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 4g Net Carbs
This is pretty much the same recipe as the original Tuna "Rice" Casserole, but I've put all of the cheese in the sauce, added an extra can of tuna, a little more cauliflower and increased the amount of sauce a bit. I tried to mix this in a 2 1/2 quart casserole but it was too full so I switched to a larger one. Click the photo to see a close-up.