Side Dishes - Phase 1 - smashed cauliflower

Recipes vary, but this is the yummiest that I have tried...and I make it often

1 head of cauliflower or 1 bag frozen cauliflower
2-3 tablespoons Smart Balance
few dashes evaporated milk OR regular skim milk
salt
pepper

Steam cauliflower and add to food processor. Add Smart Balance and start to process. Add milk until you like the consistency. Add salt and pepper and give a final spin. Then enjoy!

I think I'm the only one out there that really DOES NOT LIKE this stuff. I love cauliflower, but I hate this. Mine always seems to taste like pumpkin to me, but the rest of the fam loves it......any suggestions on how to make it taste better?

I made it twice in a row in the past 2 days. My HB loves it! I make it with burgers (Boca Burgers) and with spinach.

Sometimes I add garlic and a spoon of Red-Fat Sour cream to it.

YUMMY.

You eithe rlove it or hate it I guess!

I think it depends on how you cook your cauliflower also. If it's too soft and watery it doesn't get the fluffy texture. I've made it with fresh cauliflower, rinsed the pieces and cooked it in the microwave with no added liquid. And it turned out ok. I made it again with steamed frozen cauliflower and it didn't turn out as well. Then caulifower got to be so expensive that I haven't tried it again.

It does seem to be one of those things were you either like it or hate it.
Sarah

I will try some variations. I like cauliflower and it is easy to fix.On SB we eat a lot of it.Cooked and as a raw snack.
I have found that anytime you are eating healthy foods it is expensive. The food industry is making a killing off us. But as long as I can afford it I will keep on making them richer.

I just buy frozen. $1.29 for a bag and it works just as good. All you have to do is microwave it or steam it!

I used FF milk and it worked great! Dad and I found it was great with cheese on top. I"ll definately make this again!

I will be trying this soon- I already bought cauliflower. But I don't have FF half and half, could I use FF milk? Or would like ricotta cheese thicken it? I don't know. I want to add a bit of ICBINB and garlic, some salt and pepper. Tips from the veterans on this?

That's all fine. But FF milk works too. You just need a little something to thin it out a bit. But make sure not to use too much or you'll have cauliflower soup!!! :lol:

I have to process mine in the food processor lest DH gives a funny face. I typically add to 1 head of steamed cauli: 2 TB smart balance, 2 TB milk (usually 1%), 1TB ff cream cheese or lite rondele/boursin or other lite flavored spread, 1 TB parmesean. Salt and pepper to taste. Sometimes garlic powder. Lots of fresh ground pepper. Chicken stock to thin it out a bit, if necessary, but the cauli has a lot of water in it so i typically don't need to do that.

Leftovers are great with chopped broccoli, ham, l/f cheeses - like a 'stuffed' potato. Yum!! My favorite alternative breakfast too....

I just wanted to add that I put some chopped chives and a smidgen of garlic powder in mine and it was awesome! The family couldn't believe it wasn't mashed potatoes.

Thanks for posting it!
Lisa :cool:

Cauliflower Mash – Phase 1
Recipe from The South Beach Diet - Parties & Holidays Cookbook


Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes

Other South Beach Diet cookbooks have featured a mashed cauliflower recipe that has been such a hit, so we couldn’t resist creating a new variation for Thanksgiving.

1½ pounds cauliflower, cut into large florets (about 8 cups)
3 garlic cloves
2 (14-ounce) cans lower-sodium chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Combine cauliflower, garlic, and broth into a large saucepan. If cauliflower is not completely covered by the broth, add water until just covered. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 12 minutes.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid and drain cauliflower. Transfer cauliflower and garlic to the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth, pulsing in 1 or 2 tablespoons of the reserved broth, if necessary, to moisten the mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, stir in chives. Serve warm.


MAKE-AHEAD: Recipe can be made up to 1 day in advance; refrigerate in a covered container and reheat in a microwave or 325°F oven before serving.

Delicious...even if you don't care too much for cauliflower.

1 head cauliflower-core/leaves removed, cleaned and cut into pieces
1/2 cup mayo
2 tsp mustard (we use a variety of mustards for a flavor change
1/2-3/4 cup cheese (we usually use cheddar, but have used parm, mont. jack
or even pepper jack for variety)
paprika-optional

Steam the cauliflower-stovetop or nuked, mix the mayo & mustard, spread the mayo/mustard over the top of cauliflower in a baking dish, sprinkle grated cheese over the top, then sprinkle with paprika.
Bake in 350 oven until cheese begins to turn golden. You can microwave this until cheese melts also.

Some recipes for this will say to leave the cauliflower whole while it steams and then "frost" it with the mayo/mustard & cheese for presentation, but we find it much easier to make and serve with the cauliflower cut into pieces.

I first found this recipe here at the SBD/3fchicks site years ago...like 2003???
I didn't see it when I searched for it, so here it is, reposted to the best of my recollection.

4-6 servings

1 head of cauliflower, trim of the unnecessary crap
1 small onion, chopped into tiny pieces
2 tablespoons smart balance margarine
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (you don't necessarily have to buy a clove and chop it, just get the chopped garlic in water from the store!)
1 1/2 cups of reduced fat cheddar, and a bit more for sprinkling
8 oz sourcream
more smart balance to taste
garlic powder
onion powder
salt
pepper

Fill a pot with water and get it to boiling, put the head of cauliflower in it. Reduce heat somewhat.

While that's cooking, take a little saucepan or frying pan and add the 2 tablespoons smart balance to it. When it melts, add the chopped onion and cook until nearly transcluscent and fragrant. Add in the chopped garlic and cook until the onions are see-through and the garlic is fragrant but not brown.

Check to see that the cauliflower is very tender, and drain the water. Turn off the heat. Add the cauliflower back to the pot, and start mashing with either a big wooden spoon, a potato masher, or even a whisk thingy from a mixer (I didn't use the actually mixer, just the utensil, because I wanted it to be a bit chunky.)

Add the onion and garlic mixture, then the sourcream. Turn the heat on medium and add the cheddar cheese. Then add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste, some more smart balance margarine to taste, and make sure the cheese is completely melted and you've mixed it thoroughly, then top with some shredded cheddar if desired.

seriously though, what does mashed cauliflower taste like?

It's good! Especially when you make it at home. I've had it at TGI Friday's and it was AWFUL there.

Melanie thanks for the recipe! I'll be adding this to the rotation...

I've found it works best with fresh cauliflower and not frozen and the fresher the better. I found a head once in the back of my fridge and cut off all the brown spots and tried it mashed it was really not good.

I steamed mine in the microwave then mashed it. I liked it with some salt and pepper and a little smart balance. If you don't add some extra seasonings to it, it does taste like cauliflower.
Sarah in MD

This looks yummy but it kind of scary. how many servings is it supposed to be and has anyone run the numbers on it yet? If I've got a minute I'll toss it into MasterCook to answer my own question :)

Happeningf, mashed cauliflower is delicious when seasoned right. I'm not sure how it tastes plain. Probably tastes good, but not sinful like my recipe above.

Yup, it definitely tastes better fresh, that's what I used, a fresh head of cauliflower.

Greeneyedmustang, glad you liked the recipe.

CyndiM, I don't know about the servings, I hope somebody can tell us. It is kind of scary, it's so delicious I could tend to eat too much of it.

This is very similar to the Smashed Cauliflower sticky. I may merge the two threads.

I estimate this as four servings. I just ran the main ingredients through fitday. Made with a medium head of cauliflower, 1½ cups reduced fat shredded cheese and a cup of light sour cream, the whole recipe is 841 calories or 210 per serving - maybe a bit high for a veggie serving but OK for a main dish. (I did not add in the margarine which would make it higher.)

Oooooooooh, this sounds yummy!!! :drool:

Wow, that is an insane amount of calories. I may just make it as a main dish, I could make a vegetarian meal out of it, bake it in a casserole dish after I've cooked the cauliflower and stuff and top with cheese. Yum!

I LOVE cauliflower mash!!!! I just made some last night and it was sooooo good!!!! I put a little bit of romano cheese into mine. Makes a difference, I think, I also used FF 1/2 & 1/2.

I also boil it, is that good? Everyone talks about steaming it or microwaving it? Am I doing it wrong?

Steaming it preserves more of the nutrients, as boiling it leaches some of the good stuff into the water.

Is it possible to puree' the cauliflower past the point where it's still gritty tasting? I used the recipe from the South Beach Diet Cookbook but it still had a chunky grit texture to it. The taste was just like mashed potatoes but the texture ruined it for me.

I'm fairly new to a food processor, but it seemed like we smashed it pretty good.

I smash it until it's almost too liquidy...I make sure to drain it VERY well.

What do you mean by gritty? Like it still has substance and feels like cauliflower?