Pass the Potatoes, Er, I Mean Cauliflower!

Tonight I am going to share with you two of my favorite side dishes right now: Cauliflower mash potatoes and Greek salad! 

I don't know about you guys, but I love potatoes. They are seriously my weakness! I love them baked, mashed, fried, I could eat them everyday! While in moderation they aren't bad, let's be honest, if I are potatoes everyday I probably wouldn't get to where I want my body to be.

Except sweet potatoes! Sweet potatoes are a wonderful food, packed with fiber, vitamins, nutrients, protein, and they are pretty low calorie. But tonight I am not talking about sweet potatoes, I am talking about russet potatoes.

Since I know that I can't eat them whenever I want, I started experimenting with an alternative. Yep, cauliflower! Hey, don't knock it until you try it! ;) These roasted garlic mash potatoes are pretty delicious, especially for an alternative!

Roasted Garlic Mock Potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower 

1 head of garlic

2 tablespoon nondairy milk

1 teaspoon earth balance

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Chop the head of cauliflower into florets and place in a baking dish.

3. Coat the cauliflower with a little bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

4. Cut the head off the garlic head, place on foil, and drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the open cloves. Close up the head of garlic in the foil tightly.

5. Place the wrapped garlic in the center of the baking dish, and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes. (Until the cauliflower and garlic are both golden brown.)

6. Take the cauliflower out of the baking dish and place it in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a bowl, or a hand blender.

7. Unwrap the head of garlic, and add 5 cloves of garlic to the food processor or bowl that you are using.

8. Add the olive oil, and begin to pulse. 

9. When it begins to look flakey, add the earth balance, milk, salt, and pepper. Continue to process until it looks like whipped mash potatoes.

10. Add chives on top, and enjoy!

It's summer, it's hot and humid, and sometimes all I want is something refreshing! Greek salad has been my go to for that lately. It is simple, easy, and bursting with flavor. Not to mention it's beautiful!

Greek Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 stalks of romaine 

2 Roma tomatoes

1/2 a cucumber

1/2 cup kalamata olives cut in half (optional)

1/2 cup red onion sliced and cut in half

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Chop the romaine, rinse, and pat dry.

2. Dice the tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and olives if you are using them.

3. In a salad bowl, add the lettuce, and toss with the olive oil until it is coated evenly.

4. Add the rest of the ingredients, and pour the juice of one lemon over all of them. Add a little bit of salt and pepper, toss until combined, and serve!