So want a recipe for something super duper easy and veggie friendly?? This year for Thanksgiving why not try cauliflower smash instead of mashed potatoes?
Cauliflower Smash
Serves 6
What you’ll need:
3 heads of cauliflower
salt and pepper to taste
Chopped chive to garnish
What you’ll do:
Steam the cauliflower to the point where it falls apart when you stick a fork in it. Strain and puree. Salt and pepper to taste and garnish with chopped chive.
Enjoy!
As you saw in my last garden post, I've got a lot of cauliflower growing. I harvested the first one and it took me forever to figure out what to make with it. I have been craving this sudo moroccan flavor profile, so I thought cauliflower would go nicely under that umbrella. The parsley is also from the garden : ) I can't stress enough how satisfying it is to grow your own food, I highly encourage you to grow something this year even if it's just one pot with one herb in it. You'll still get so much excitement every time you use it!
Moroccan Inspired Couscous
Serves 4-6
What you'll need:
1 1/3 cup Israeli couscous
1/2 purple onion, chopped (help is here)
a dash of ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cup vegetable broth
a small handful of pine nuts, toasted
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
a small handful of golden raisins
a small handful of dried cranberries
1/2 head of cauliflower, steamed till fork tender
salt to taste
What you'll do:
In a medium pot over medium heat, drizzle a swirl of olive oil and add the couscous and onion. Toss to coat in the olive oil. Add in a sprinkle of salt and a dash of cinnamon. In a separate small pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. When the couscous is just starting to toast, slowly add in the broth. Stir, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let sit for about 10-12 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. This is a good time to steam your cauliflower. (I hate over cooked vegetables so I cook mine until just fork tender, but you can cook them to however you fancy)
When the couscous is done, remove from the heat and stir in the golden raisins, dried cranberries, pine nuts and parsley. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Add in the cauliflower and gently toss.
Serve warm and enjoy!
http://swf.ifood.tv/flvPlayList.swf
You may be saying, "Yuck" right about now, but trust me, don't. This is one of the tastiest things ever! Not to mention, I dare say it's. . . healthy?! Yup. These would also be a perfect substitute for mashed potatoes. They are gluten free and much better for you.
Cauliflower Mash
Serves 4
What you'll need:
1 head of cauliflower, stem removed
2 tbsp. butter (or vegan substitute)
2 tbsp. cream cheese (yes, I use low-fat)
a big handful of parmesan cheese
2 cloves of garlic, minced (super fine chop)
a big pinch of salt
chives, chopped for garnish
What you'll do:
Steam the cauliflowers in a pot until it's well done. Till you can stick a fork in it, twist and it falls apart. Drain the cauliflower really well and pat them dry. While they are still hot, place in a food processor or blender and puree.
Place back into the pot or straight into a bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Garnish with some chives.
If your mash is a little thin, add a tablespoon or two of flour. (ps it won't be gluten free anymore so make sure you pat that cauliflower really dry)
Enjoy!!
This was one of those days. I said to myself, "What can I make for dinner without going to the store?" My answer for this night was cauliflower couscous. It is really delightful, light and packs lots of vitamins : ) Now I used Harvest Blend from Trader Joe's, but you can use couscous, Israeli couscous, orzo, quinoa or whatever you have at home. Don't be afraid of the raisins and cranberries in this dish. Combined with the almonds you get a nice toasted sweet flavor that is great!
Cauliflower Couscous
Serves 2 main dishes or 4 side dishes.
What you'll need:
1/2 lb. Harvest Blend or couscous (or whatever you like)
1 head of cauliflower, broken and chopped up into bite size pieces
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 large carrot, shredded
1/4 cup slivered almond, toasted
1/8 cup golden raisins and dried cranberries (you can use whatever you like)
What you'll do:
Cook your couscous or harvest blend according to the directions on the package. I always add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the boiling water for some flavor.
In a frying pan on low heat, toast the almonds and set aside. In the same frying pan on medium low heat, melt a sliver of butter and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add in the cauliflower, onion and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Let cook about 2 minutes and toss in the carrots and raisins. When the cauliflower is fork tender, toss in the couscous and stir together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
If you are serving this as a side dish, I image it would go great with chicken or pork.
