(Relatively) Healthy Broccoli & Cauliflower Casserole

I thought that when I was on maternity leave, I'd have absolutely no time to cook. Turns out, babies sleep a lot, especially during the first month. Cooper eats and sleeps. And that's all for now. So, during those periods of sleep, I keep myself busy by cooking, napping, snuggling with Coop, getting back into working out or watching TV. I am so enjoying it. 

Earlier this week I wanted something comforting, but since I'm working on getting my pre-pregnancy body back, I wanted something pretty healthy. This version of casserole is 'relatively' healthy. There's no cream or butter here. No cans of soup. Just a bit of cheese to give it some yumminess. 

Healthy Broccoli & Cauliflower Casserole
makes 6-8 servings

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cubed)
1 head cauliflower (cut into bite sized pieces)
2 crowns broccoli (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 yellow onion (diced)
5 cloves garlic (diced)
1/2 cup flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
2 cups mild cheddar (grated)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper
olive oil

Prep the components:

Start with the veggies. In a large pot, bring water to a simmer and add a good amount of salt. Drop in all of the broccoli and cauliflower. Let them simmer for 4 minutes. Drain and remove to a bowl. Set aside. 

Now in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken cubes, and season with salt, pepper and 1 tsp of garlic powder. Let cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove to same bowl as veggies. 

Now in the same skillet, add more olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne and let cook for 5 minutes. Add flour, and stir to make a thick mixture. Let the flour cook down for 1 minute.

Slowly add in the chicken broth, and whisk. Bring to a simmer and add Dijon, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Let simmer, stirring the whole time, for 4 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.

Make the casserole:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Add half of the chicken/veggie mixture to the bottom of a baking dish. Pour half of the sauce over the veggies. Top with half of the cheddar cheese. Repeat with the remaining half of the ingredients. You should end up with a layer of cheddar on the top.

Pop into the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn on the broiler, and broil for 4-5 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and brown. 

Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.