Recipe: A mashed potato alternative

Love the rich, creaminess of mashed potatoes but want to avoid the calories? Skip the potatoes and reach for cauliflower. Our recipe lets you pass on the carbs and enjoy a healthy vegetable side.

This recipe for cauliflower mashed “potatoes” comes courtesy of a nutrition class hosted by Baylor College of Medicine students for a group of patients and families who are part of the bariatric surgery program at Texas Children’s Hospital.

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 leek, white part only, split in 4 pieces
• 1 tbsp. margarine
• Pepper to taste

Directions

Break cauliflower into small pieces. In a good-sized saucepan, steam cauliflower, garlic and leeks in water until completely tender, for about 20 to 30 minutes. While cauliflower is hot, puree until the vegetables resemble mashed potatoes. (Use a food processor, or if you prefer a smoother texture, use a blender. Process only a small portion at a time, holding the blender lid on firmly with a tea towel.) Add a little hot water if vegetables seem dry. Stir in margarine and pepper to taste.

Additional Resources

Check out other healthier alternatives to dinner favorites including:

• Apple crisp
• Black-eyed pea hummus
• Butternut squash orzo risotto
• Huevos Rancheros

The students who worked with the bariatric surgery program are part of the CHEF organization at Baylor College of Medicine. Read more about the CHEF elective and organization.
Get more recipes from Momentum.

-By Audrey M. Marks