Mashed Cauliflower
Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite comfort foods. However, the reality about this fluffy, creamy side dish is that it has very minimal benefits for your brain health, especially when recovering from a brain injury. While I am still a huge supporter of substituting with sweet potatoes, sometimes you just need to switch it up!
In learning about the paleo diet, I came across this recipe for mashed cauliflower. When whipped up, cauliflower has a very similar consistency to real potatoes, making it a very satisfying dish with a ton more health benefits than real mashed potatoes.
Cauliflower is very low in calories, and is bursting with vitamin C and manganese. This vegetable provides a variety of antioxidant nutrients, as well as vitamin K and other anti inflammatory nutrients. Basically, cauliflower exactly the kind of food you want in your diet to help your brain get better after injury. Try the natural recipe below for creamy mashed cauliflower and let me know how you think it compares to the real deal!
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp ghee or olive oil
- 1 head garlic
- fresh chives chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb, then cut off the very top of the head of garlic to expose the individual garlic cloves. Place in aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil, then seal the foil around the garlic. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cloves are soft. Allow garlic to cool, then squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the skin.
- Meanwhile, place a couple inches of water in a large pot. Once water is boiling, place steamer insert and then cauliflower florets into the pot and cover. Steam for 12-14 minutes, until completely tender. Drain and return cauliflower to pot.
- Add roasted garlic, milk, ghee, and salt to the cauliflower. Using an immersion blender or food processor, combine ingredients until smooth. Top with chives and freshly ground pepper.
Recipe from PaleoGrubs.com
If you’re struggling with symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, or sleep problems, and need help customizing your diet, check out our brain health recipes, or call Dr. Diane® to schedule a consultation!
