Cauliflower Mash

My husband and I are participating in a 48 day vacation from certain foods.  This is based on the book The Transformation – 48 Days to Eating and Living Naturally for Life by local naturopath Dr. Michele Menzel.  More about that in a future post.  For now let me just say that we need to be a bit adventurous and creative during this time in order to replace some of the food that we normally eat and will eat again!

One of the foods that we are abstaining from, for a short time, are potatoes.  But we need something to serve with grilled meats, meatloaf, salmon, etc.  Something alongside the salad we generally eat!  This is where cauliflower really fills that gap.

Before we get to the recipe let’s look at why you might want to incorporate cauliflower into your diet.  First it’s a cruciferous vegetable which is important in cancer prevention.  The fiber helps with digestion.  It has high amounts of antioxidants which help prevent heart disease, cancer and stroke.  The vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids work to prevent chronic inflammation – which leads to many unwanted conditions such as chronic pain and arthritis.  Cauliflower is high in B vitamins.  It’s high in allicin which also helps to prevent heart disease and stroke and can help reduce cholesterol as well.  With all those positives maybe we’ll just keep eating cauliflower long after the 48 Day is over!

The nice thing about preparing cauliflower is that it’s easy to clean and separate the segments.  That can be done with either a knife or just breaking them apart.  At this point what I usually do is put about 1/2 inch of water into a large pot – large enough to easily hold the amount of cauliflower I have.  I like for the cauliflower to mostly be in one layer.  Usually I have to add a layer on top of the first one, however.  Before placing the cauliflower into the pot, bring the water to a boil.  Then add the cauliflower and cover.  With the small amount of water, basically the cauliflower is being steamed.  When it is tender enough to easily pierce with a knife it is done.  This takes about 20 minutes.  Afterwards drain the water.  Mash with a potato masher.  For very creamy cauliflower a food processer can be used but I don’t particularly enjoy cleaning more appliances than I have to!  It is more like mashed potatoes, so use that if you prefer.  Or if your family would think it more like mashed potatoes!  At this point add butter (keeping in mind that butter is not our enemy!), cream, sour cream, milk, salt, pepper – whatever you like to put in potatoes.  My preference is to use lots of pastured butter and salt and pepper.  My cousin makes this and adds sour cream to hers.  Serve hot.  It can also be reheated in the oven if you like to make things ahead of time.

Now between the two of us we can just about finish off an entire head of cauliflower –  it is that delicious!  How’s that for getting all those health benefits I mentioned earlier!

What is your favorite way to serve cauliflower – or would you be willing to try it!?

Cauliflower Mash

Author: Let’s Eat

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1 head organic cauliflower
• Butter – preferably pastured
• Sour cream, opt. – I use Daisy full fat
• Salt – Redmond Real or Celtic Sea Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

1. Wash and divide cauliflower into segments.
2. Add 1/2 inch water to an appropriately sized pot. Bring to boil.
3. Add cauliflower and cover.
4. Steam about 20 minutes until easily pierced with knife.
5. Drain water. Mash with potato masher.
6. Add desired amount of butter and/or sour cream, and stir well.
7. Add salt and pepper.
8. Serve hot.

3.2.1284