Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower
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Looking for a healthier alternative to mashed potatoes this holiday season? This roasted garlic whipped cauliflower is the perfect side dish! You won’t even miss the spuds!
Dish Count :: 1 Baking Sheet, 1 Food Processor
Let’s be real here, the holiday jean creep is already upon us. Or maybe that’s just me, because once Halloween hit, I’ve been on an inextricable sugar binge and it has to stop like, now. Right now. 3.2.1.. now. But I can’t give up my one piece of chocolate a day, right? That’s still allowed?
Okay, good – I’m glad we got that cleared up.
To be honest, I have been changing up my routine in hopes that it makes my jeans hate me a little less. Breakfast is now switched up with a protein shake, lunch is my half sandwich/half salad combo, and now that I have my FitBit back (Ben got me a new ChargeHR for my 30th!), I’m stepping out like there’s no tomorrow.
To keep up with this new fall time healthy kick (delusion) I’m also excited/nervous about the possibilities of making the holidays healthier without missing out on my favorites. In the past I’ve heard rave reviews about veggies masqerading as mashed starches, but gave it a dismissive side-eye and Valley Girl wave of my hand. Until now. Because Laurie has made me see the light. Only she could. And it came from her new book!
Laurie and I started blogging around the same time, and I can attest that she is the most patient person on the planet. When I first started blogging I emailed her incessantly to help me with my photos, composition (yikes!), colors (frightening!) and just plan bad. But she patiently critiqued my photos, emailed me back (I fan girl freaked out), and somehow we became friends – and she didn’t ignore me forever. And thank goodness, my photos have gotten better. Because woof, people. Woof. See what I mean? Yeah.
But since then, Laurie has always been a constant source of inspiration, friendship, and light. And with her book, it brings her last five years of hard work full circle and it’s so perfectly her! Simply Scratch has 120 meals that are simply homemade. And if I was going to try whipped cauliflower, Laurie was going to be the one to convince me. And you know what? SHE WAS RIGHT!! AGAIN!!
The bacon fat that the cauliflower roasts in doesn’t hurt either. *wink*
Seriously – give this a try, because I didn’t miss my starchy spuds one bit.
And a whole head of roasted garlic whipped in? Yeah. What more do we need to say to convince you? Print this recipe, and BUY HER BOOK. If my 50 post-it note bookmarks are any indication, this is going to be in my regular rotation for a long time to come.
Need to Know Trick :: How to Roast Garlic
Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Looking for a healthier alternative to mashed potatoes this holiday season? This roasted garlic whipped cauliflower is the perfect side dish! You won’t even miss the spuds!
Ingredients
- 2 Heads Cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1/4 cup Bacon Fat, melted (approximately 3/4 pound bacon, fried)
- 1 head Garlic, roasted
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground Pepper
- 1/2 cup Vegetable or Chicken Broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss cauliflower with bacon fat and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until it starts to turn golden brown and soft.
- Squeeze the cloves from the head of roasted garlic, and add to food processor. Add in the roasted cauliflower, salt, pepper and broth. Blend until smooth.
- Season with additional ground pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
From Simply Scratch : 120 Homemade Recipes Made Easy from Laurie McNamara
I preordered Laurie’s book last week and I can’t wait! Â I love mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes and I bet this recipe is the bomb!Â
I’ve been wondering how in the world I’m going to live without mashed potatoes (potatoes hate me) and THIS is the answer! Holy cow yum!
I just got my copy in the mail!! EEEK! Can’t wait to start cooking. Laurie is amazing!!Â
This sounds so dangerously tasty. I love a good whipped cauliflower but with roasted garlic too? Yum!
I have always wanted to try this with cauliflower. I think the time has arrived!Â
I need to check out her book! And anything with a whole head of garlic is up my alley!!Â
Sign me up for anything that involves a whole head of garlic! …and that bacon fat though…yum
MEGAN!!! First of all, THANK YOU!! I Â have tears in my eyes! It means the world to me that you would make a recipe and share it on your beautiful blog. And all your kind words- GAH! right in the feels!Â
I totally remember our emailing and I think it’s safe to say, I had no business giving anyone advice. letsbereal. But this roasted garlic whipped cauli looks FABULOUS because your photography is AMAZING! Those cloves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Â
Seriously friend, you are one of the kindest and most generous people I know and I cherish our friendship so very much! Love you lots! Â XoXoÂ
Pretty sure I can get behind this gorgeous mashed dish! And an entire head of garlic – well then, I definitely can! Looks great (as do your photos 🙂
I bookmarked this recipe from Laurie’s book too. Awesome book, awesome recipe!
These would have fooled me, they look amazing! It’s wonderful that you have found such a good friend in Laurie and I can’t wait to see her new book!
I’ve made mashed cauliflower many times and my family loves it. I’ve never made it before with roasted garlic and bacon grease. This is something I MUST try. It’s a thing of beauty!
Oh yeah, the bacon grease is sooo good on there. But if you don’t want to use the fat, swap it for olive oil. Still delish!
I am completely drooling over this entire dish. Roasted garlic and cauliflower – I’m in.
a WHOLE head of garlic? YES PLEASE!
You had me at a “whole head of garlic”! What a great low-carb recipe.
I would like to dive into that mashed cauliflower and live there. Is that too weird? Plus I would have totally thought those were potatoes if you didn’t tell me!
I know, I can’t believe I was hestitant to the whole “cauliflower as mashed spuds” thing – no more, I’m totally sticking with these!
I canNOT wait to try this! All that roasted garlic, yum. And I have been wanting to try a whipped cauliflower recipe – just printed!
You will love it, I know it Brenda! And I’m sure the girls will too. I bet your hunny won’t even know they aren’t real mashed potatoes!
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