Friday's Fixin's: Silver Lined Comfort Food

After this past month’s wonderful adventures and a very decadent Thanksgiving (think: Maggie’ Pineapple Casserole, I’m not surprised that I have packed on a few extra pounds. The only thing is that in this post-FBC period, yo-yo = no-no.

Weight gain post FBC can be a contributing factor to the dreaded “R” word (i.e., recurrence). It’s a bummer, but it’s true. So, who did I call? None other than my trusted registered dietitian extraordinaire, Rachel Beller, RD, MS.

Rachel told me that it is wise to jump on top of a gain of even a few pounds because even a few pounds makes a difference. No, I’m not freaked out that because I put on 5 lbs. my cancer is going to come back, but I do want to pay attention to it and make sure that I get back down to where I need to be.

So, Rachel suggested adding her Cauliflower Mash to my food repertoire (among a few other things that I’ll share with you in a subsequent post). This recipe is the ultimate comfort food, she said. I’m not a huge fan of cauliflower, but as is the case with other foods (e.g., pineapple, carrots), when it’s prepared in a special way then: YUMMA. That is certainly the case here.

Hope you enjoy this Silver Lined comfort food!

Beller Nutritional Institute

Cauliflower Mash

Makes 3 servings

58 calories  per serving (Silver Lining!)

Ingredients:

• Canola oil spray (expeller-pressed preferred)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 clove of garlic
• 6 c. low- sodium vegetable or chicken broth  (For cooking purposes only)
• Optional: Garlic powder, turmeric, salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Spray base of a large pot with canola oil.
• Sauté one chopped onion and garlic for 2-4 minutes, then cover with lid & allow onion to “sweat” on low heat for 5-7 minutes. (Do not brown onion)
• Add broth to pot and bring to boil.
• Add chopped cauliflower.
• Cook semi-covered, on low heat for 30 minutes.
• Place cauliflower, onion, and garlic in blender without broth. Blend until smooth. Instead of a blender you can use a hand immersion blender
• Add optional seasonings to taste.

Rachel’s Tip: Feel free to double or triple the recipe. You can discard the remaining low-sodium broth or simply toss in a bunch of veggies and you have yourself a super low-cal soup.

For more of Rachel’s expert tips, Like her Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/rachelbeller.

Green Eggs and Ham was the story of my life. I wouldn’t eat a thing when I was a kid, but Dr. Suess inspired me to try cauliflower.

– Jim Carrey