Healthy Recipes: Two Alternatives to Potatoes!

Healtheneo
Jul 7, 2020
3 min read

Craving mashed potato but the calorie count is too high for your planned meal for the day? Try this quick and easy mashed garlic cauliflower recipe that is creamy enough to relieve you of your mashed potato craving. It tastes just as good, and is super easy to make! You only need six ingredients from your kitchen.

Mashed Garlic Cauliflower

Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegan

Serving Size: 3 to 4 cups, 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 heads cauliflower
4 tbsp vegan butter or olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp salt
1 pinch black pepper
¼ - ½ cup plain almond milk - to make the mashed cauliflower smoother, optional
parsley or chives - for garnish, optional

Instructions:

Start by cutting cauliflower into even florets.
Get a large pot with a steamer basket. Fill the pot halfway with water, and wait to boil.
Put florets in the streamer covered, cook for 15-20 minutes. The bigger the floret, the longer they stay in the pot. Steam til they are very tender.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
In medium heat, saute the garlic using vegan butter (or olive oil) in a small skillet until they are slightly browned. Turn off heat and set aside.
Place the steamed florets in a blender or food processor, add almond milk for creamier texture, then puree. Once the florets have been broken up into tiny pieces, add your sauteed garlic butter, salt and pepper until well combined. Taste and adjust flavors as needed.
Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with herbs or parmesan cheese (optional) and add a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Note: Lasts up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator, or 1 month in the freezer.

Nutritional Facts: (6 servings)

Calories: 134

Carbohydrates: 14.5 g

Protein: 5.5 g

Fat: 7.6 g

Sodium: 330 mg Sugar: 5.4g

Benefits of Cauliflower:

It contains many nutrients.
It has very high fiber content.
It is a great source of antioxidants
Low in carbs with only 5 grams of carbohydrates as compared to a cup of rice which has 45 grams of carbohydrates.
It's versatile which makes it very easy to add to your diet.

You want to munch on something delicious and healthy while chillin’ at home? Try this sweet potato fries recipe! It gives you the same satisfaction with eating fries, but gives you more health benefits. And on the side, you can also try this avocado dip recipe so you can munch and dip away towards a healthier lifestyle!

Healthy Fries with Creamy Avocado Dip

Serving Size: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

4 pounds of sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
2 teaspoons of curry powder
2 teaspoons of garlic powder

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Place parchment paper on the baking tray.
Peel the sweet potatoes.
Slice the sweet potatoes into long strips.
Mix the salt, black pepper, curry powder and garlic powder in a bowl.
Toss the sliced sweet potatoes with olive oil in a bowl.
Toss the sliced sweet potatoes with the seasoning mixture (shake off the excess)
Place the seasoned and sliced sweet potatoes on the tray.
Bake in the oven until brown and crispy for around 15 minutes, then flip and cook for 10 more minutes until both sides are cooked evenly.
Enjoy!

Nutritional Facts: (8 servings)

Calories: 259
Protein: 4g
Carbohydrates: 47g
Fat: 7g
Total Sugar: 10g
Sodium: 547mg

Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

Great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals
Offer a variety of antioxidants
Improve brain function

Creamy Avocado Dip

Ingredients:

2 Ripe Avocados
½ Cup of Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons of Salt
1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons of Fresh Lemon Juice
4 Garlic Cloves (Crushed)

Directions:

Scoop the avocados
In a blender or food processor, mix the avocados, olive oil, salt, black pepper, fresh lemon juice, and crushed garlic cloves until thick and smooth.

• For the salt and pepper, you can add or lessen, depends on your taste

3. Grab your sweet potato fries and dip away!

Nutritional Facts: (8 Servings)

Calories: 203
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fat: 21g
Total Sugar: 0g
Sodium: 161mg

Benefits of Avocados:

Rich in vitamins and minerals
Contains Potassium
Filled with heart-healthy fatty acids
Loaded with fiber
Can lower cholesterol
High in antioxidants

These should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a Nutritionist.

Sources:

Mashed Garlic Cauliflower Recipe:

Baker, A., Author, Minimalist Baker, Says, L., Says, S., Says, A., . . . Says, H. (2020, April 29). Vegan Garlic Mashed Cauliflower: Minimalist Baker Recipes. Retrieved July 06, 2020, from https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-garlic-mashed-cauliflower/
Elliot, B. (2017, April 14). The Top 8 Health Benefits of Cauliflower. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cauliflower#section2

Healthy Fries and Creamy Avocado Dip Recipe:

Fortin, D. (2016, September 3). Healthy Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Dip. Del’s Cooking Twist. https://www.delscookingtwist.com/healthy-sweet-potato-fries-with-avocado-dip/?fbclid=IwAR1OFEplYx2FSgz_S1I2dec1aioE-S_ohTqqkNrL-GkerhFVBbxITvA0Xxs
Gunnars, K. (2018, June 29). 12 Proven Health Benefits of Avocado. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-proven-benefits-of-avocado#1
Julson, E. (2019, January 9). 6 Surprising Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sweet-potato-benefits