In between the mashed potatoes, buttered rolls and heavenly desserts, let’s lighten things up just a little bit with Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash. I promise you won’t miss those mashed potatoes too much!
Welcome to November, aka the last two months of the year where all your favorite foods come out to party and you do your best to make sure you can still fit in your pants the next.
It’s the truth folks, let’s not really dance around it.
November and December are probably the most difficult months out of the year to eat healthy. We’ve got Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, holiday parties, New Years Eve, Christmas cookies and more leftovers than your refrigerator can handle.
Plus the food is good, it’s really good. I mean are you really going to pass up that bowl of perfectly creamy mashed potatoes with that well of melted butter in the center. No. I didn’t think so, neither will I.
Some control needs to be taken though, we certainly can’t live off decadent foods for 2 months straight. Well, at least I can’t, can you?
So I think it’s a pretty good thing that #SundaySupper is sharing recipes to lighten up the holidays today. Many of these recipes would be great new additions to your holiday menus or even some lightened up seasonal meals to cook up during the week.
I first tasted – hesitantly I might add – cauliflower mash at a cooking class I took last December. I love cauliflower, it’s one of my go-to vegetables during the winter, as I quickly roast it up and toss it in everything.
I know cauliflower is sort of the wonder vegetable, replacing pizza dough, rice, faux steak but really I just loved it as is.
Who are you to replace my mashed potatoes with this impostor?
I ate it though and I liked it but I never made it again until this past September when I did my month of Whole30. It was time to break that old roasted cauliflower habit and try something new.
You know what? This stuff is good, it’s really good and it’s really easy to make. Plus it’ll make your paleo and low-carb friends happy at the holiday table.
I’m not telling you to completely swap out mashed cauliflower for your mashed potatoes but perhaps add a second bowl at your Thanksgiving day table.
Ingredients
- 1 whole head garlic
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons unsalted or clarified butter
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Peel away the excess outer paper from the garlic and with a sharp knife cut about 1/4 inch off the top of the head of the garlic to expose the cloves.
- Place the garlic in a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with the olive out. Seal the aluminum foil around the garlic into a little pouch and place in the oven. Roast for 40-45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and starts to caramelize and become sticky. You can choose to roast it for longer to develop a dark color or leave it as when it is a light amber.
- Remove and let cool.
- Insert a steamer basket into a medium size pot and fill with about 3 inches of water or until it just touches the bottom of your steamer. Place the cauliflower florets in the steamer, cover and steam on medium heat for about 20-25 minutes or until a knife easily pierces through the steam of the cauliflower.
- In a small saucepan bring the stock and butter to a simmer.
- Transfer the steam cauliflower to your food processor and pulse until it breaks up. Take your roasted garlic and squeeze from the root end to get out all the garlic into your food processor.
- Pour in the stock and melted butter and continue to process until smooth.
- Season generously with kosher salt and black pepper before serving.
Make sure to check out the rest of the #SundaySupper Lighten Up The Holidays recipes today.
Drinks
- Lightened Up Eggnog by The Redhead Baker
- Low Calorie Pumpkin Pie Malted Milkshake by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
Appetizer or starter
- Carciofi alla Trapanese by Manu’s Menu
- Fresh Salmon Carpaccio by Food Lust People Love
- Gruyere Cheese Puffs by Sustainable Dad
- Lightened Up Cornbread Stuffing by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Lighten-up Sausage Rolls by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Spaghetti Squash, Pears, and Kale with Shrimp by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Spicy Eggplant Dip by Cooking Chat
Main Dishes
- Grandma’s Mac n’ Cheese by What Smells So Good?
- Holiday Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes and Corn by Family Foodie
- Lean Mean Cheeseburger Soup by The Foodie Army Wife
- Lightened-Up Fettuccine Alfredo by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Mini Mushroom Shepherd’s Pies by Killer Bunnies, Inc
- Roasted Parsnip and Apple Soup by Curious Cuisiniere
- Slow Cooker Roasted Butternut Squash & Chicken Sausage Soup by Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
Side Dishes
- Almond-Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli by The Texan New Yorker
- Butternut Squash Orzo Pasta by Life Tastes Good
- Cranberry Orange Glazed Green Beans by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Farro Stuffing with Cranberries and Walnuts by The Dinner-Mom
- Green Beans with Rosemary Garlic Butter by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Healthier Potluck Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad by The Weekend Gourmet
- Hearts of Palm, Artichoke, Avocado and Butter Lettuce Salad by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Honey Ginger Glazed Carrots by Ruffles & Truffles
- Horiatki Salata by Peaceful Cooking
- Leaner Green Beans by Noshing With The Nolands
- Lentil & Mushroom Stuffing by Foxes Love Lemons
- Mediterranean Lentil Stuffed Delicata Squash by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
- Quick and Easy Sweet Potatoes by The Educators’ Spin On It
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Wasabi Mustard by Brunch with Joy
- Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Shrimp Salad with White Wine Vinaigrette by eating in instead
- Spiced Tri-Colored Carrot Salad by Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Tangy, Spiced Red Cabbage by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Desserts
- The Best Blondies by Wallflour Girl
- Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pumpkin Blondie by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Cinnamon Roll Granola Bars by Pies and Plots
- Healthy Brownie Recipe | Applesauce Brownies by The Perfect Brownie
- Individual Cheesecake Bites by Nosh My Way
- Light and Luscious Chocolate Cheesecake by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Peanut Butter Coconut Mini Bars by Basic N Delicious
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Pumpkin Pie Pudding by The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Skinny Ninja Cheesecake by NinjaBaker.com
- Sweet Apple Bites by Mama’s Blissful Bites
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
This sounds delicious and full of flavour! I love it!
I’ve seen all kinds of recipes for faux mashed potatoes using cauliflower. And yours, Susan, with the addition of the roasted garlic looks exceptionally good! Thank you for the great recipe =) P.s. Have you tried the pretty purple cauliflower, too? Tastes the same but looks very pretty on the plate =)
I certainly have. I usually buy up all the colors of cauliflower! I currently have the green romanesco at home now. 🙂
Pingback: Ruffles & Truffles
Pingback: Let's Lighten Up the Holidays for #SundaySupper!
You just can’t go wrong with mashed cauliflower…especially when you add an entire head of roasted garlic! SO good!
Pingback: Lightened Up Cornbread Stuffing #SundaySupper - Cindy's RecipesCindy's Recipes and Writings
Pingback: eating in instead - Shrimp Salad with White Wine Vinaigrette #SundaySupper
What a magnificent head of cauliflower and a gorgeous mash. I am so into cauliflower lately, can’t get enough. Will have to make this soon!!
Pingback: Gruyere Cheese Puffs for #SundaySupper
Pingback: Spaghetti Squash, Pears and Kale with Shrimp | The Wimpy Vegetarian
What a simple and quick idea. I love this.
This looks like a great way to eat cauliflower.
Pingback: Cinnamon Roll Granola Bars | Pies and Plots
Pingback: Vegan Mini Mushroom Shepherd’s Pies Recipe | Killer Bunnies, Inc
Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables. It’s amazing how versatile it is. I would eat the whole bowl of this happily!
Pingback: Green Beans with Rosemary Garlic Butter #SundaySupper - Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Pingback: Chicken Enchilada Casserole #SundaySupper
This sounds wonderful Susan! How can you go wrong with roasted garlic? 🙂
Cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies, but I’ve never had it mashed. You’ve inspired me to give it a try!
Pingback: Lightened-Up Eggnog #SundaySupper by The Redhead Baker
Whoa, does this look amazing. I’d pick this over mashed potatoes any day (though I have to serve both at Thanksgiving or there’d be a revolt!).
Pingback: The Best Blondies for #SundaySupper | Wallflour Girl
What a perfect substitute for mashed potatoes!
I have yet to make cauliflower mash but I really need too. I love the full head of garlic you added for flavor. I’m of the opinion that you can never add too much garlic!
My Bubby was the one to introduce me to cauliflower mash and I’ve loved it ever since. Your roasted garlic version sounds INCREDIBLE. But seriously, anything made with roasted garlic just has to be good.
Pingback: Almond-Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli #SundaySupper | The Texan New Yorker
I love roasted garlic, this looks so good, thanks for sharing.
Pingback: Roasted Parsnip and Apple Soup #SundaySupper • Curious Cuisiniere
Pingback: Healthy Turkey Roulade with Mushroom Stuffing and Blueberry Thyme Gravy #sundaysupper | Food Done Light
I must say, your mashed cauliflower looks rich and decadent. I’d try it happily, and I have to admit to not being the biggest cauliflower fan. Thanks for posting!
oh, what a simple recipe with some of my favourite ingredients – roasted garlic is gorgeous, and cauliflower is so so good.
Why wait for dinner? I could eat this for breakfast.
Cauli mash is divine! Can’t go wrong with garlic either IMHO
Pingback: Spicy Eggplant Dip for #SundaySupper
Pingback: 100 Healthy Holiday Side Dish Recipes - Jeanette's Healthy Living
This is amazing! I literally just finished making it. I steamed in the microwave steamer, but followed everything else to a ‘T’. Thank you for the recipe & BRAVO!