ArcaMax

4 cups of cauliflower bites. This will be about ¾ of a large cauliflower. Don’t have to be totally accurate on this measurement. Just make the pieces bite sized and enough to cover the base of your 9-by-9-inch ovenproof casserole.
2 Tbl of butter
1 package of chicken tenders
1 Tbl of your favorite meat rub. I used Cajun.
1 cup of frozen peas (peas are higher carb but in each portion you’ll only get a few)

For the sauce:

2 Tbl of butter
2 tsp of potato starch (Don’t let this scare you. Potato starch is low carb and makes a great sauce thickener)
2-1/2 cups of grated cheese. You can choose your favorite. I used a Colby/Jack combo. You could use Gruyere to make it more French. Use pepper jack for extra zip. Use cheddar to be neutral American. Any block cheese you can grate to make a sauce will work.
1-1/3 cups of whipping cream
¼ tsp of black pepper (or to taste)
¼ tsp of grated sea salt (or to taste)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Get out your 9-by-9-inch casserole. Cover the bottom of the dish with your cauliflower; just to eyeball it and make sure you have enough.

In a saute pan, add the butter, melt it on medium and cook the chicken tenders until they are lightly browned and no pink remains in the middle. Then cut them into bite sized pieces. Toss with your chosen rub.

While the chicken is cooking you can make your sauce.

Use a medium sauce pan. Put in the butter and melt it on medium. Add the potato starch and stir it in. Add the whipping cream and three fourths of the grated cheese. Just eyeball it. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir regularly until cheese melts. When it’s all melty get out a large bowl. Put in the cauliflower, the peas, the chicken and the cheese sauce. Stir it all up. Then put it in the casserole dish.

Top with the remaining cheese.

Bake in your oven for approximately 40 minutes. Poke it with a fork to see if the cauliflower is done to your tastes. If you want it to have a bit of bite, it’s probably done. If you want it to be mushier like pasta, you might want to cook it a bit longer.

Let it sit out on your stove for about 10 minutes before you serve it, or you might burn your mouth.

Enjoy!
Cheers,
Zola