My low carb diet was pretty easy to transition into. But after two weeks, there’s one thing that I miss above everything. Mashed Potatoes. No longer! Here comes everyone’s favorite albino veggie - cauliflower. Broccoli’s strange, pale, cousin actually serves as a great replacement for mashed ‘taters. If your dorm has a kitchen, and you’ve got 5 minutes, you can make this side dish that can keep your carbs low and your stomach full. While the recipe below implies the texture isn’t the same, I was able to emulate it by blending by hand, whipping air into the mix.
From about.com
Ingredients:
- raw Cauliflower - a medium head makes about a pound of florettes
- any combination
of butter, milk, cream, or whatever you use when you make mashed potatoes – about 1/4 cup- salt and pepper
- If you have low carb “instant mashed potatoes”, add up to 1/4 cup for texture*
- Options: minced garlic (a clove or two); garlic powder (1/2 to 1 teaspoon); cheese
Preparation:*I like to use instant “potatoes” made for low carb diets, such as Dixie Carb Counters Instant Mashers. Other people use a small amount of real potato or instant potatoes to improve the texture. But you don’t need any of these things.Break the cauliflower up into florets, or just chop. I like to cook it in the microwave in a container that I prepare and serve it in, but you can steam it. Cook it until it’s tender — a fork should easily pierce it.The easiest thing to do is to add the rest of the ingredients to the container the cauliflower is cooked in, and then use a stick (hand) blender to put it all together. Or you can put it all in a regular blender or food processor.Assuming 4 servings from a pound of cauliflower, each will have about 3 grams of usable carbohydrate plus three grams of fiber. The calories will depend on what else you add.