Sandy's Kitchen: Cauliflower

Showing posts with label Cauliflower. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cauliflower. Show all posts
I had a wonderful 4th of July weekend with my husband and son! The best part about it? I stayed on plan! OP all the way baby! Holidays always seem the hardest for me, but luckily we decided not to go to one of the infamous buffets here in Vegas that happen to be everywhere! I think that would have been asking for trouble... BIG trouble. Instead, we grilled some shrimp for me and steak for the hubs. I can happily say I had No Regrets this 4th of July weekend! My loss for the week was 1.6 lbs! Great week week for me indeed!

As you can tell by my many posts of shrimp recipes, I love shrimp. I usually have it at least once a week because they cook pretty fast and they absorb a lot of flavor. Plus they belong to the leanest lean category. Not to mention they are just plain old delicious.


I needed to make something that would be quick and easy to put together, hence the name of the recipe, since I am still studying for my real estate license. Study, study , study is all I seem to do these days. I didn't have too much time to spend in the kitchen so this recipe did the trick. With a little preparation, the dish only took a few minutes to make. Well, a few minutes of cooking time. If you like the cauliflower mashed "potatoes" mixed with laughing cow cheese wedges, then you will love this dish. It is definitely keeper! 


I used frozen cauliflower, which didn't take long at all to cook. Add the frozen cauliflower to boiling water and let it cook for about 5 minutes.


Drain the cauliflower. Use a food scale to measure out 270 grams of cauliflower or 186 grams if using fresh cauliflower. You can also measure out 1 1/2 cups of cauliflower if you do not have a food scale.



Place the cooked cauliflower in a food processor and use the shredding disk too shred the cauliflower. You could also use a hand grater if you don't have a processor.
 

Set aside the grated cauliflower.


 Measure out 7 oz of cooked shrimp and set aside. Make sure the shrimp is peeled with tails removed.

 
Saute 1 tbsp of butter with 1 minced garlic clove.


 Add the rest of the ingredients cooking until heated thoroughly. Only a few minutes! Voila! Dinner is served!


 Quick and Easy Mock Shrimp "Risotto"

Ingredients:
1 tbsp Land O' Lakes light butter spread with canola oil (1 Healthy Fat)
1 tsp minced garlic (1 Condiment)
2 tbsp Philadelphia garden vegetable 1/3 less fat cream cheese or light cream cheese (1 Healthy Fat)
9 oz shrimp peeled, tails removed ~ 7 oz cooked shrimp (1 Leanest)
1 1/2 cups (270 g) cooked cauliflower, grated (3 Greens)
1 tbsp reduced fat grated Kraft Parmesan Cheese (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)
1/8 tsp black pepper (1/4 Condiment)
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes (1/6 Condiment)

Directions:
In a medium sized skillet, melt butter and add garlic. Saute garlic in butter until light brown over medium high heat. Lower the temperature to medium heat and add the cream cheese. Stir until slightly melted. It is okay to have some lumps. They will blend nicely with the rest of the ingredients. Add the shrimp to the cream cheese mixture and then add the grated cauliflower, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until combined. Heat for about 3 to 4 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Sprinkle parsley flakes on top. Enjoy!

Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1 Leanest, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments, and 2 Healthy Fats per Serving

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I am feeling AMAZING today! The scale has decided to be my friend... oh how I love you scale (at least for today). The digits finally moved another 1. 6 pounds. Hallelujah! It started to get very frustrating when I saw the same number flashing before me every morning when I weighed myself, almost mocking me. Ha! But today persistence finally off. I guess that is why they tell you not to weigh yourself everyday but do I ever listen... NO!!! I can't help but want to check my weight and see how far I have come along if even for a measly 0.1 pound loss :) My scale and I have had this constant love hate relationship.

I haven't had one of those late night binge sessions in about a week and I am mighty proud of myself. I really don't even know why these sessions happen except maybe out of boredom or a force of habit. Gosh, those bad habits are hard to break! I will say that since I started the Diet Bet challenge 2 weeks ago, it has really gotten me to be more focused on my weight loss. I just don't want to lose my money! Sorry, I am a sore loser. Especially losing when I know I can win because I control the outcome. 

Currently, things have started to look up for me. I feel more in control of my weight loss now more than ever. I am almost done with my Real Estate course so come on over to Nevada and I will sell you a house! Also I am extremely excited about going to Florida to see my family and friends this summer! Now we know what could happen when we go on vacation! Yes total slip ups and weight gain! I refuse to let that happen and I will show you how to prepare for vacation when the time gets closer!

Now I want to share a wonderful recipe that Leah (aka FitandFabBy40 on Face Book) shared with me. It is another version on how to make mock mashed "potatoes" out of cauliflower using the slow cooker. Now how awesome is that! I absolutely love my slow cooker because it is convenient, and it doesn't talk to back to me, but mostly because it is convenient :)

Here is a photo of my cauliflower all cut up in pieces in the slow cooker before it is cooked.


 I have to say that these mock "potatoes" came out delicious without a lot of effort. Just break the head of cauliflower into pieces. Throw them in the slow cooker and add a little bit of water. Sprinkle whatever seasonings you like. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Drain in the colander. Then mash away! Easy peasy! The cauliflower gets a great roasted caramelized flavor which is different from just boiling the cauliflower in some water over the stove. Another great way to use up your cauliflower!

This is the finished product! Look at that smooth texture, just like mashed potatoes. I swear you won't miss mashed potatoes once you tried mashed cauliflower. The taste is very similar.


If you want to check out Leah's You Tube video on watch her make this dish along side a pot roast, then check out this video!



 Here is the direct link to all her videos!  FitAndFabBy40's You Tube Channel! Check her out! She has a lot of motivational videos to help you get that weight off, as well as reviews of Medifast products, recipes, and even other topics not related to weight loss! You will easily get hooked watching her!

Roasted Mock Mashed "Potatoes"
From Leah (FitAndFabBy40's You Tube Video)

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower
1/2 cup of water
Seasonings of your choice (I used garlic salt and pepper)

Directions:
Rinse cauliflower well with water. Remove stems and leaves from the bottom of the cauliflower.
Cut the cauliflower florets into small chunks.
Place chunks in slow cooker and add water.
Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or until cauliflower is soft.
Drain cauliflower in a colander and place in a medium sized bowl.
I like to measure out the cooked cauliflower into batches of 1 1/2 cups and then mash so I know how much GREEN I am getting.
Mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon. I used my magic bullet to get a creamy texture.

1-1/2 cups of cooked cauliflower is 3  GREENS. Don't forget to deduct the spices from your condiments!
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Some of you may already know that I am doing a Diet Bet right now. What is Diet Bet you ask? Well, let me tell you about it. Everyone who plays must pay a set bet amount and it all goes into one big pot. The game I am playing is $25. If you lose 4% of your total weight, you get to split what is in the pot with all the other winners. Grant it you won't become a millionaire, but I think you get a lot more out of playing the game than just money. I did this to help gain some motivation and accountability. I really don't have much of either. Can you lend me some of yours? I lost mine. Also, it just sounds like something down right FUN to do while losing weight! Who doesn't like having others cheer you on when you are trying to lose weight or have someone say don't give up if you have a bad weigh in. I thrive on that! Although it is probably too late to do the game I am doing right now, you could always join a different game or start your own. I am going to try it out this month and if all goes well... I'll be betting again next month :) I will keep you posted on how I do!

So here I am Day 1 of restarting the Medifast plan. How many times have we heard that one before? Too many times to count I am sure! I have constantly fell off plan and I have no one to blame but myself. I am a binge eater. I admit it and accept it. It isn't easy trying to lose weight when you eat even when you aren't hungry or you have a mouth that just doesn't know when to stop eating, especially the foods with high amounts of CARBS! By the way, that's a bad word in Medifast! Now the question is... what to do? Do I keep staying on this roller coaster ride of being on plan and then off plan? Could this time really be the last time I fall off plan? Honestly, probably not. But... I recognize the problem and I am aware of it. I have had this problem ever since I was a teenager. It goes way back to the stone ages :) I remember I would eat a box of little debbie snacks in almost one sitting but back then I didn't gain much weight when I had those binges. Oh the joys of getting older! Bad habits are hard to break, but I am working on it. I know it will get better. You know why? They HAVE to get better... for my overall health, my family, and my life (plus I want to look cute in those tight skinny jeans). 

Anyways, I am back... AGAIN :) I feel really good about being back and I can't wait to start cooking in my kitchen!

The Buffalo Chicken "Pizza" is the first Lean and Green meal I decided to cook during the Diet Bet challenge. Day 1 today :) Thanks to Jeremy Lopez! It's funny I never thought about making this sooner until Jeremy brought it up, considering the Buffalo Chicken Bake is one of the most popular recipes on my blog. This "pizza" is very similar to that recipe except all the yummy gooeyness is spread on a cauliflower crust. Oh my goodness! It is now my fave type of "pizza"! Seriously, you have to try it! I promise it will soon become a personal favorite too. I usually make pizza crusts in batches and freeze them, but this particular crust is slightly different from the others because it has less cheese in the crust. This is so that chicken can be added in the recipe. I usually get about 5 to 6 cauliflower crusts with one head of cauliflower so I made two of this type of pizza and four of the traditional type of pizzas. Don't forget to add one more Green to your meal. You could always add a 1/2 cup of celery, or maybe some assorted bell peppers. I just had 1 cup of romaine lettuce on the side with some Walden Farms dressing with mine. I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I have! I am definitely going to make this one again!


You could also fold the pizza in half and have a nice pita style wrap! Stuff a 1/2 cup of lettuce (1/2 Green) and 1/4 cup tomatoes (1/2 Green) inside as your other Green.


Buffalo Chicken "Pizza"

Ingredients:

Crust:
1/4 cup egg beaters (1/8 Lean)
1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese (1/4 Lean)
1 cup grated, raw cauliflower (2 Greens)

Toppings:
2.25 oz chicken breasts, cooked and chopped (3/8 Lean)
2 tbsp Frank's Hot Sauce (1 Condiment)
1 tbsp reduced fat ranch dressing (1/2 Healthy Fat)
1 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese (1 Condiment)
1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar or Mexican cheese (1/4 Lean)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine grated cauliflower, 1/4 cup cheese and 1/4 egg beaters in a medium size bowl.
Spoon mixture on prepared pan.
Use the back of the spoon or your hands to thin out mixture and form a circle about the size of a dinner plate without the rim. 
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
Flip the crust over and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine chicken, hot sauce, ranch dressing and cream cheese.
Spread on prepared crust. (You could also add your extra green at this point such as 1/2 cup diced celery or bell peppers).
Top with 1/4 cup of shredded cheese.
Broil until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

1 Serving with 1 Lean, 2 Greens (you need 1 more Green such as 1/2 cup celery), 2 Condiments and a 1/2 Healthy Fat


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I made these today and they were pretty darn good! It wasn't eggy or tasted mainly of cauliflower. It really didn't have much flavor at all, which served perfectly as outer shells for my tacos. They aren't the crunchy kind of shells, but are very similar to tortillas or soft shells. I used 93% ground beef, but you could use chicken or shrimp if you like. Nutrition support said the egg beaters counted as an ounce of protein so just deduct an ounce from whatever lean you decide to use. If you want the source of the recipe with some photos, check out Happy Chomp! These are a great alternative if you are following a low carb lifestyle! Enjoy!


Taco Shells from Cauliflower
Slightly adapted from www.happychomp.com

Ingredients: 
One head of cauliflower but you will only use 1 cup cooked and grated (2 Greens)
6 tbsp egg beaters (subtract 1 once of lean from your whatever lean you use or 1/8 Lean)
2 tsp low sodium taco seasoning (3 Condiments)
4 oz lean 93% ground beef, cooked (7/8 Lean)
1/2 cup shredded lettuce (1/2 Green)
1/4 cup chopped tomato (1/2 Green)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Use a food processor, blender, or hand grater to grate the cauliflower into a crumb-like texture.
Microwave the cauliflower for 5 minutes, stirring a little halfway through or move the grated cauliflower to a pan and add 1/4 cup of water. Cover the pan and steam over medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes. Just make sure to stir half-way through to avoid the cauliflower from burning. Keep in mind that you will have a bit more water to squeeze out.

Place the now-cooked cauliflower in a kitchen towel, that is on top of a sieve, on a bowl. Make sure to drain as much excess water as possible. There is surprisingly A LOT of water in cauliflower.

** Measure out 1 cup of cooked cauliflower.

Mix the drained cauliflower and egg beaters until smooth.
Place the mixture on a baking sheet into two circles at about 1/4” thick.
Bake for 10 minutes. Flip. Bake for another 5-7 minutes (I baked for another 10 minutes). This is important to dry out the tortilla.
Move the tortillas to cooling rack to cool, so the bottom does not become soggy.

Make meat by browning the ground beef. Drain excess fat. Measure out 4 oz using a food scale. Reserve the rest for later use. Add 2 tsp of taco seasoning with about 2 tbsp pf water. Let simmer for a few minutes. Serve on cauliflower shells and top with lettuce and tomatoes.

1 Serving with 1 Lean, 3 Greens and 3 Condiments (No healthy Fats needed)
 
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I love Mexican rice and I thought hmmm... fried rice from grated cauliflower tastes yummy so why not Mexican rice? Well, it turned out yummy too! I decided to try it as a casserole by layering the Mexican rice with grilled cut up chicken that was marinated in olive oil and fajita seasoning. Then layered with shredded Mexican cheese of course! It definitely fulfilled my craving for Mexican food!


It was even better the second day! After re-heating it, I just mixed it all up together and it became a big bowl of spicy goodness!


Mexican Chicken and Cauliflower "Rice" Casserole

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups grated cooked cauliflower (5 Greens)
1/2 cup mild rotel diced tomatoes (1 Green)
1/4 cup salsa (4 Condiments)
1/8 tsp salt (1/2 Condiments)
1/8 tsp pepper (1/4 Condiment)
1/8 tsp garlic powder (1/4 Condiment)
1 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese, grated (1 Lean)
8 oz raw chicken breast (1 Leaner Lean)
1/2 tsp low sodium taco seasoning (1 Condiment)
1 tsp olive oil (1 Healthy Fat)

Directions:
Season chicken with taco seasoning and toss with olive oil. Marinate for at least 4 hours. Grill, bake or broil. Chop into bite sized pieces and set aside.

 In a large bowl, combine grated cauliflower, rotel tomatoes, salsa, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour mixture into a casserole dish (I used a 9 inch pie plate), layer with chicken and then cover with cheese. Bake in a 350°F oven for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Divide into 2 equal portions.

 Makes 2 servings
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments per Serving




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This is a dish that I grew up with and that I absolutely love! My father grew up in a small town in Texas near the border closest to Louisiana so he was influenced by Cajun cooking. I spent most of my growing up years living in both Louisiana and Texas so dirty rice and gumbo were commonly seen on our kitchen table. I  used lean ground beef and andouille chicken sausage, but you can also use Jennie-O bulk turkey sausage instead of ground beef if you desire. I also replaced traditional rice with grated cauliflower making this dish healthier and low carb! Enjoy this recipe!


Cauliflower Dirty Rice

Ingredients:
14 oz 93% lean ground beef or 14 oz Jennie-O bulk turkey sausage, uncooked (2 Leans)
1/4 cup green peppers, chopped (1/2 Green)
1/4 cup celery, chopped (1/2 Green)
3 tbsp onion, chopped (3 Condiments)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1 tsp Creole seasoning (4 Condiments)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 cup chicken broth (1/2 Condiment)
2 links Al Fresco Andouille Chicken Sausage, chopped * (1 Lean)
4 cups grated cauliflower (8 Greens)
parsley to garnish

Directions:
In a large skillet, add ground beef, green peppers, celery, onion, garlic powder, creole seasoning and black pepper. Cook over medium heat until ground beef is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Drain any excess liquid. Stir in chicken broth, chopped sausage, and cauliflower. Cover and cook for about 8 to 10 min or until liquid is absorbed. Garnish with parsley. Enjoy!

Makes 3 servings
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments

* If you would like to omit the Al Fresco sausage, you would need to add 1/3 Lean more to each serving such as 2 oz of chicken breasts or 2.3 oz shrimp. Or you can increase the ground beef or turkey sausage to 21 oz instead of 14 oz to get 3 full Lean and Green meals.

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Before I share this recipe, I wanted to share my happy news! I lost another pound bringing me down to 145 lbs! That is the lowest weight I have been in a long time! I am getting closer and closer to goal eating recipes like this one without feeling deprived! Woo-hoo!

This is a yummy cool cauliflower salad recipe that is perfect for a Summer BBQ! It is a mixture of fresh cooked cauliflower, celery, hard boiled eggs, mayo, dijon mustard and spices that make this a delicious copycat version of traditional potato salad but without all the carbs and calories! Give this healthier version a try!


Cauliflower Salad

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup fresh cauliflower, 
cooked and chopped (5 1/2 Greens)
1/4 cup celery, chopped* (1/2 Green)
2 hard boiled egg, chopped (2/3 Lean)
3 tbsp light mayo (2 Healthy Fats)
2 tsp dijon mustard or yellow mustard 
(2 Condiments with dijon mustard or 2/3 Condiment with yellow mustard)
1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp onion powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/8 tsp black pepper (1/4 Condiment)
sprinkle of paprika

Directions:
Steam cauliflower until cooked for about 5 minutes 
or until cauliflower is fork tender. 
Make sure cauliflower is still firm but fork tender. 
Rinse in cold water to cool; pat dry with paper towel until dry. 
Add the cauliflower to a bowl with celery and eggs. 
Stir in mayo, dijon mustard, salt, onion power, and pepper stirring until combined. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired. 
Chill for at least 1 hour.

Makes 2 Servings
Each serving provides
1/3 Lean, 3 Greens, less than 2 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat

Serve this with 2/3 Leaner or Leanest option such as 4 ounces of grilled chicken breasts or 4.6 oz shrimp

*Don't like celery? Try 1/4 cup sliced green onions in place of celery.
*Don't like eggs? Omit them and eat a full serving of protein from the Leaner or Leanest category (add 1 more healthy fat).

Click Here to Print

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I love potato soup with all the fixings, but it is higher in carbs and calories. Instead, swap out the potatoes with cauliflower instead! I promise it will satisfy all your potato soup cravings! Cauliflower makes a creamy delicious soup and you can still add bits of bacon, cheese and chives! This makes one very generous serving, but don't fret! This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, etc. This is one of those recipes that will be made time and time again, especially on those really cold days when you are craving something warm! Enjoy this delicious tasting soup!


Loaded Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cauliflower, fresh (3 Greens)
1 cup chicken broth (1 Condiment)
1 wedge light laughing cow cheese (1 Healthy Fat)
1/8 tsp salt (1/2 Condiment)
1/8 tsp black pepper (1/4 Condiment)
1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped (1/4 Condiment)
1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese (1/4 Lean)
1 tbsp of Turkey Bacon bits (1 Condiment)

Directions:
Add the cauliflower and broth to a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Add light laughing cow cheese, salt and pepper and blend until combined. Pour into a large bowl and add cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and chives. Keep warm until ready to serve.

 1 Serving with
1/4 Lean, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments and 1 Healthy Fat per serving

 Serve with a Leaner option such as 4.5 oz chicken or Leanest option such as 5.25 oz  shrimp plus 1 more Healthy Fat

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