Surprise South Beach Mashed Potatoes

Surprise is right...you really can't fool me into thinking that mashed cauliflower will ever be anything other than mashed cauliflower. I'm not saying it was bad. But I'd just as well eat cauliflower and call it cauliflower rather than try to parade it around as something its not.

So...as mashed cauliflower, it's not that bad!

adapted from The South Beach Diet by Arthur Agaston, M.D.

serves 4

The Ingredients:
4 cup cauliflower florets
1 oz I can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray
1 oz Land O' Lakes fat free half and half
pinch salt
pinch pepper

The Process
Steam or microwave the cauliflower until soft. Puree in a food processor adding the butter spray, and half and half (or yogurt in my case) to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

My Modifications:
I reduced the entire recipe down to one serving, so really it should read 1 cup cauliflower and seasonings to taste.
I abhor fat free "half and half" so it didn't make the cut. Instead I added a dollop (maybe a Tbsp) of fat free plain yogurt.
In addition to the salt and pepper to taste, I sprinkled in some garlic powder.

The Review
As I said before, there's no fooling me. I enjoy cauliflower, but to mash it up and call it potatoes is a bit weak. The texture has nothing on the starchy creaminess of the real thing, and it is really hard to hide that sharp cruciferous flavor...

The pureed cauliflower was by no means smooth. And the end result was incredibly running and watery. Perhaps my cooking method was off. Too much steam condensing on the tender stems perhaps? Who knows. But as I don't indulge in mashed potatoes on a regular basis, I cannot say I'll crave them as I plow through phase one of this plan. I'd rather just enjoy the cauliflower without pretense.

*BONUS*
While the rest of my dinner was in no way an adventure into untried techniques, I did indulge in a new spice blend from Penzeys

California Seasoned Pepper.

Red pepper, black pepper, green pepper...it was robust with just the right amount of kick. I have a feeling we'll use up a lot of it when the grill come out again!