Cooked and pureed cauliflower adds creamy deliciousness to mac and cheese. And when you pair the nutrient-rich sauce with whole-grain pasta, you can feel extra good about this comfort food.

Cauliflower and White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

For topping, in a medium skillet cook bacon over medium heat for 7 to 9 minutes or until brown. Remove bacon from skillet; crumble and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet; heat until melted. Stir in panko, Parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon; set aside.

Preheat broiler. In a large pot, cook pasta in boiling salted according to package directions. Drain; do not rinse.

Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Cook garlic in butter until softened. Add cauliflower, broth and cayenne pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Transfer mixture to a food processor. Cover and process until smooth.

Transfer pureed mixture back to same saucepan. Stir in cheddar cheese and milk.   Cook over medium heat until cheese is melted. Stir in hot cooked pasta. Spoon mixture into 2-cup ramekins or casserole dishes. Sprinkle with prepared topping. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until crumbs are golden. If desired, garnish with parsley. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.