Mmmm… billowing mounds of mashed potatoes, lovingly made with whole milk & butter… filled with --
WHAT? !!
Have you ever looked up the amount of carbs in one cup of mashed potatoes? There’s about 35 grams and only 4 grams of protein! By the time you add the butter and milk, you’ve changed this dreamy side-dish to a fat and carb enhanced nightmare.
Yes, sometimes it’s nice to ‘walk on the wild side’, but it’s better to be proactive to your health so your weight doesn’t start climbing too!
Try substituting mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes… it’s about 7 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein! By the time you actually spice it up, you’ll completely forget that you wanted potatoes in the first place! Enjoy the recipe below!
Cauliflower Purée
1 head cauliflower, 2 to 2 1/2 pounds
1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee (clarified butter)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pull the leaves off the cauliflower and cut out the core in a kind of cone-shaped section.
Then pull the florets off the head with your fingers, using a knife when you need to. Break or cut the florets into smaller, regular pieces (about 1 1/2 inch) and put them in the steamer insert. Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in the steamer pot, add the insert, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until you can poke a paring knife into the stems and you can feel that there's still a little texture there. Stir the cauliflower well a few times while it's steaming so that it cooks evenly.
Dump about half of the cauliflower into a food processor.
Measure out 3/4 cup of the steaming liquid, and pour in about 1/4 cup; purée until smooth. Now dump the rest of the cauliflower on top, add about 1/3 of the remaining liquid, and purée again. You'll need to stop and scrape and stir the purée a few times; add more liquid as you need to, but with the understanding that you really want to add as little liquid as you can get away with. With the motor running, process in the oil, salt, and pepper. Taste for seasoning and serve hot. (You can reheat over low heat in the same pan if you're not eating immediately.)
I like things a bit tangy so feel free to add turmeric, cayenne, mustard or mustard seeds, or a bit of garlic salt.
Ludwig DS. Clinical update: the low-glycaemic-index diet. Lancet. 2007; 369:890–2.