If you are like most people, you probably try your best to watch what you eat around the holidays but still end up over-doing it. The holidays can be a good time to have a "cheat day" (or days), and enjoy some comfort food in moderation. One of the comfort foods that is almost certain to show up at your family Thanksgiving is mashed potatoes.
One way that you can still enjoy your mashed potatoes and reduce some of the guilt associated with your Thanksgiving dinner is by substituting cauliflower for potatoes in your recipe. substituting cauliflower for potatoes 100% is absolutely delicious and has an almost identical taste and texture. All you really taste when you eat traditional mashed potatoes is what is added to the potatoes anyway. However, if you are not on board with swapping all of your potatoes for cauliflower, you can do a 50/50 split - half potatoes, half cauliflower. With a 50/50 split you're almost guaranteed to fool all of your relatives into thinking they are eating traditional mashed potatoes, but you will actually be doing them a favor.
Benefits of Cauliflower Potatoes
1. Avoid bloating
Starch found in potatoes can increase water retention, which can lead to bloating.
2. Good source of fiber
If your mashed potatoes are from real potatoes with the skin still on the potato, you're getting about the same amount of fiber as with cauliflower. However, if you skin your potatoes, or your potatoes come from flakes in a box, you can greatly increase the fiber content by adding in cauliflower. Fiber helps you feel full faster, regulates bowel movements, is heart healthy, and is a natural food source for the good bacteria in your gut which is essential for a healthy immune system.
3. Help fight cancer
Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable, and all cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are converted into anti-cancer compounds by another enzyme also found in cauliflower. Chopping up cauliflower and letting it sit for several minutes before cooking has been shown to increase the number of anti-cancer compounds that are formed and available for absorption into the blood stream.
4. Anti-inflammatory
Cauliflower contains omega 3 fatty acids, which help to reduce inflammation. Widespread inflammation in the body can cause, or enhance, many disease processes and allergic reactions.
5. Improved brain health
Cauliflower contains choline, which is a B vitamin associated with enhanced brain development and improved lifelong memory. Choline is essential for everyone, but especially pregnant women. During pregnancy the normal choline reserves are depleted, which makes consuming foods which contain choline a priority for mothers and their developing child.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes Recipe:
- 1 large head of cauliflower will make approximately 3 cups of mashed cauli-tatoes.
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 4 tbsp organic salted butter
- Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
*optional - top with chopped chives or other herbs
Instructions:
- Cut up the head of cauliflower, removing as much of the florets from the stems as possible.
- Roughly chop the florets into pea-sized pieces. This can be done by hand or by pulsing a few times in a food processor or blender.
- Steam the florets for about 10 minutes. They should be tender enough to pierce with a fork, but not mushy. Do not steam them. Aside from adding too much moisture to your final product, boiling cauliflower removes some of the anti-cancer compounds.
- Immediately transfer your cauliflower to a blender of food processor
- Add the 4tbsp of butter and salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
- Pulse several times on high, then blend 20-30 seconds on low. Be careful not to overdo this last step - too much blending can make your cauli-tatoes thin and runny.
- Top with chives or herbs if desired and serve.
Tips:
Only use fresh cauliflower, not frozen
To help get a more creamy texture you can always add more butter or sour cream