Kick-Butt Cauli Mashed Potatoes

I SWEAR to you that this is not turning into a low carb, gluten-free, vegan, Paleo, SCD blog. I also swear that I won't post another cauliflower recipe for a while. It's just that I have become a bit obsessed with this amazingly versatile veggie of late. And I can't help myself from sharing this crazy good "I can't believe it's not potatoes" cauliflower mashed potato recipe.

In case you're late to the game, my cooking has taken an interesting turn in the last year, due to the fact that a member of our family was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. He's following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which is grain-free and has proven to be near miraculous for his health.  And since I'm his cook, I've discovered some incredibly inventive and healthful recipes that have kept him and the whole family happy over the past several months.

Last blog, I wrote about cauli rice. This time around, I'm talking potatoes. Just like cauli rice, caulipotatoes fill that "carb" spot on the plate that can often feel sad and lonely on a grain-free diet. Like cauli rice, cauli potatoes soak up gravies and pan drippings admirably. Like cauli rice, cauli potatoes are low carb. Here's the main difference: While  no one will think cauli rice actually IS rice, cauli mashed potatoes can really truly be mistaken for the real deal. They're super creamy. Rich and delicious. And with the help of a little sauce or gravy, you really could miss any hint of the fact that there's a cruciferous vegetable in the mix. My husband and I actually prefer these to real mashed potatoes. They taste cleaner and just a tad more elegant. My Crohny adores them, too. And these "potatoes" can do what other potatoes do: Just the other night, I sautéed up some ground beef with onions and garlic, threw in some peas and tossed the mix into a casserole dish. I slathered the cauli potatoes on top, baked the dish up for about 25 minutes and I had shepherd's pie. Miraculous.

Without further ado, I give you the recipe for magic. It's from Danielle Walker's dynamite cookbook, Against All Grain. Dare to try these and let me know what you think.

5 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 head cauliflower, trimmed into florets
1/4 almond milk, warmed (I use a scant 1/4 cup of full fat plain yogurt at room temp)
3 tablespoons melted butter (or ghee--I use butter)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
Dash cracked black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Place garlic cloves in a small, heatproof dish and drizzle with the olive oil. Cover and roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, put the cauliflower in a saucepan with a 1/2-inch of water. Cover and steam for 10 minutes. Drain the water completely and place the cauliflower in a food processor.
4. Squeeze the papery garlic skins to release the cloves. Add the garlic to the food processor, along with the almond milk (or yogurt), melted butter (or ghee), salt, and pepper. Process until smooth and fluffy. (I let the machine run for a good long while--may 3 to 5 minutes-- so the potatoes are absolutely smooth. You don't want any cauliflower texture in there if you're planning on fooling fellow diners.)

Eat well!