A Skinny-Mini Recipe

Say goodbye to mashed potatoes and say hello to mashed cauliflower also known as cauliflower puree! Cauliflower puree is a great summertime substitution to mashed potatoes if you’re trying to watch your waistline. I came across this new food trend earlier in the summer and decided to make this as a side dish to dinner last night. Cauliflower is a great source of nutrition, and as a substitute to mashed potatoes it is lower in calories and contains no fat or cholesterol. Cauliflower is also a good source of Vitamin C which helps boost immunity and fights cancer causing agents in the body. You can get just about 100% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C from one serving of cauliflower (1/2 cup). A rich supply of anti-cancer phytochemicals is found in cauliflower as well and has shown proven benefits against a variety of cancers such as breast and colon cancers. It is also a light side dish to any meal leaving your stomach feeling satisfied without the over-full feeling you get from mashed potatoes. This is especially a great side dish to pair with any meal on a hot, humid summer day which not mention we have been having many this past summer in Illinois! 

Cauliflower Puree

Ingredients:

1 head of Cauliflower

Salt to taste

Dash of pepper

Fresh Parsley or Chives, chopped

Blender or Potato Masher

Directions:

Wash one head of cauliflower and cut into roughly chopped pieces. Steam or boil in water for approximately 30 minutes or until tender. I recommend steaming cauliflower so it retains its nutrients instead of losing them in the cooking water when boiling. When the cauliflower is tender, transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. You may need to reserve about ¼ cup of the cooking water to help start the blending process. Season with salt and a dash of pepper while in the blender. When finished stir in chopped parsley or chives.

* If you do not have a blender, you can mash the cauliflower after cooking it with a potato masher. Reserve some of the cooking liquid to help with the mashing process. 

Enjoy!