A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I was a South Beach Diet devotee.
I left this diet behind for many reasons, but I did learn from it one meal item that will probably always be a staple in my house.
Faux-tatoes. Meaning, a dish that approximates the look and taste of mashed potatoes, but is made from cauliflower.
The South Beach recipe is fine on its own, but I have tweaked it over the years to perfect the taste. The proof is that my dad, not a huge veggie lover, cannot tell the difference. He was genuinely surprised the first time I revealed my deception.
Before we get to the recipe though, can we talk more about cauliflower?
I thought I hated it. I really did. I had only ever eaten it uncooked, and even with ranch dressing I just did not like it. So when I first heard that it could be used as a substitute for mashed potatoes, I was very skeptical. Luckily my roommate (and fellow SB dieter) talked me into trying it with fresh cauliflower and I was super surprised because it was GOOD! Something magical must have happened during the steaming process.
Then one day I tried it on my own, using pre-packaged cauliflower.
BLECH!!
Back to why I hated cauliflower in the first place. I don’t know why but trust me and use fresh cauliflower. It doesn’t take long to cut it into florets.
Okay, on to the recipe!
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
6 scallions
3 tbsp almond milk
1 tbsp butter
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
Here’s how you do it:
Steam cauliflower florets until soft (about 20 minutes).
Transfer florets to food processor and cover with lid.
Trim scallions at the stalk where they start to turn green. Set aside green leafy parts to slice for a garnish.
Steam scallions for 5 minutes then add to food processor.
Add milk, butter, salt and pepper.
Mix until smooth!
Use as a side dish to accompany your favorite meat and potatoes meal. The benefit of substituting cauliflower for potatoes is that you can go back for seconds and not feel guilty because vegetables! Yay healthy!
I really hope you’ll try this recipe. I think it’s going to rock your socks off!
Get the printable -> Unbelievably Good Mashed Faux-tatoes
(Psst! If you liked this try my other cauliflower recipes Cauliflower and Tomato Soup and Savory Cottage Pie!)
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