Cauliflower White Bean Mash

Family style side dish or a meal on its own

I know, I know, cauliflower……ewwww! But wait, you can actually do a lot with cauliflower besides boiling it and forcing it down because it’s “good for you”.

The following recipe is defiantly one of my most delicious random creations. I think I first concocted this a few years ago when I was strictly gluten-free. I make this at least once a week and never get tired of it. This recipe is great as a side dish, and can be used in place of mashed potatoes as a more nutritious option, or just to mix it up for fun. I also eat this as a standalone dish for a light meal.

You can make this as healthy or unhealthy as you desire by using less oil and cheese for the calorie conscious, or more oil and cheese for the decadent palate. You can also choose to cook the cauliflower longer to achieve a more ‘mash’ consistency – or cut the cooking short for a bit more texture.

Before we dive into the recipe I’ll make a quick argument as to why you might want to give cauliflower a chance if you’re feeling resistant.

Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and fiber. As a member of the cruciferous vegetable family cauliflower can boast health benefits ranging from anti-oxidant and detoxifying support, to cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory benefits as well. High fiber, low-calorie – that’s really enough said.

Being that this blog is geared towards the generation of busy professionals who have less time than desire to prepare a delicious home cooked meal, cauliflower is a great fresh vegetable to choose, because unlike many of the less hearty veggies at the grocery store, you can buy a head of cauliflower and leave it in your fridge for a week and it will probably still be good.

When choosing a cauliflower look for one that is clean and white, with no brown spots on it, and a ‘compact curd’ (meaning the florets are tightly packed rather than spongy and loose).

While cauliflower has a very mild flavor, there is a distinctly sweet nuttiness about it. If you like this recipe and want to add more cauliflower into your diet, another fantastic and easy way to prepare it is to simply drizzle it with olive oil, salt, pepper and some herbs – throw it in a 375 oven and roast until nice and brown. (Turn once to brown evenly) – total cook time about 40 min. Super easy and sweetly delicious!

INGREDIENTS

1 Medium – Large Head of Cauliflower

1 Can of White Beans (Great Northern or Cannellini)

1 – 1 ½ C. Liquid (Water, Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock)

4 Cloves of Garlic – chopped

1/2 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese

3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS

First, Cut the cauliflower head in half and remove the core and leaves. Then cut the florets and remaining stalks in to a variety of small sizes. Vary the sizes to vary the texture
Heat a medium – large pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pan – add cauliflower and sauté for a few minutes
Add in 1 C. liquid (more if needed). The liquid should come about 1/3 of the way up to the top of the vegetables
Simmer the cauliflower for about 15 – 20 minutes until desired consistency is achieved. Stir regularly. If you prefer a softer mash keep stirring until the florets break down, if you prefer more texture use less cook time
Add in the chopped garlic after you add in the cooking liquid
Open the beans and drain them in a strainer. Run cold water over them to rinse off excess starch. Add the beans when most of the liquid has been absorbed
Continue to cook until all the liquid has been absorbed
You can add more water or stock if longer cooking time is needed
At this point, I will drizzle an additional Tbsp of olive oil on to help brown up the mash. If you are looking for a lower calorie and fat alternative you can omit this addition

10. Add parmesan just before you take the mixture off the stove. Stir to mix

11. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

One quick note on the beans : I opt for canned white beans in this recipe rather than soaking and cooking my own out of the bulk bins for a couple of reasons.

Canned beans have the soft consistency that this recipe calls for – while home cooked beans are great for soups and stew where you need the bean to stand up and retain its structure that would be a lot of work. Besides, canned beans are cheap and easy, and who doesn’t love that?