Donna Crous’ Moussaka with Cauliflower Béchamel

Keep reading to learn how to make this Moussaka by the incredible cookbook Author, nutritionist and food photographer Donna Crous.

This Moussaka is dairy and gluten-free as well as Keto and Paleo friendly!

Here’s what Donna says about her moussaka recipe:

“My guys love this dish. They don’t usually get excited about loads of veggies, but because they are hidden in this dish it’s my safeguard when I have no idea what to make for dinner. It is utterly delicious with rose veal, but lamb mince or any other type of meat will work beautifully as well. Make sure your cauliflower sauce is super-smooth – that’s the trick to hiding your vegetables and making the family believe it is just a creamy sauce!”

INGREDIENTS

• 2 firm aubergines
• avocado oil or coconut oil, for frying
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1–2 garlic cloves, to taste, crushed
• 500g minced rose veal, or lamb or beef
• pink salt
• 250ml tomato passata
• 1–2 tbsp harissa paste
• 800g cauliflower, cut into florets
• 200ml tinned coconut cream
• 1 tbsp herbal salt, to taste
• 45g nutritional yeast flakes
• green salad, to serve

 

METHOD

1. Slice the larger aubergine into discs 1cm thick. Slice the smaller aubergine into discs 2mm thick (really thin).

2. Soak the aubergines in two separate bowls of lightly salted water for 10 minutes.

3. Remove and pat dry with kitchen paper.

4. Heat a little oil for shallow frying in a large frying pan over a high heat. Fry the thicker slices of aubergine on both sides, adding more oil if needed, then transfer to a plate.

5. Add more oil and fry the thinner aubergine slices. When ready, keep them separate from the large ones (bear with me, this will make sense when assembling).

6. Add a little more oil and fry the onion for 5 minutes or until softened, then add the garlic, stir well, then add the meat.

7. Lightly brown the meat, and add 1/2 tsp pink salt, the passata and harissa paste, mixing well.

8. Cook over a high heat for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently while you get on with prepping the sauce. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven) Gas 4.

9. To make the cauliflower béchamel sauce, fill a saucepan halfway with boiling water, and add a pinch of salt and the cauliflower florets. Boil until very soft. Strain well, and (either using an immersion stick blender or transferring into a blender or smoothie maker) blend with the coconut cream, herbal salt and half the nutritional yeast flakes until very smooth.

10. Lay the thick slices of aubergine over the base of an ovenproof dish, then add the meat and top with the cauliflower sauce. (One layer of each is perfect.) Sprinkle the remaining nutritional yeast flakes over the cauliflower sauce. Top with the thin aubergine slices and bake for 30 minutes. Serve  this moussaka with a big green salad.

Serves 4–6

Extracted with permission from A Healthier Family for Life by Donna Crous, published by Little Brown and available in South Africa through Jonathan Ball Publishers, R495.

Donna is a South African living in the Channel Islands, she focuses on using raw, natural ingredients in her recipes to create a sustainable, healthy lifestyle for her and her family, and she wants to teach us how we can do the same in her new cookbook.

Buy her book at your nearest bookstore or find it on Takealot or Loot

Find Donna on Instagram @Donnacrous

Read her award winning blog Eighty20nutrition 

 

 

 

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