cauliflower cheese with smoky crumb topping :: by radish*rose

cauliflower cheese with smoky crumb topping

Low carb comfort food? Sign me up! Upon finding myself in possession of a generous amount of cauliflower, I looked through a few cookbooks and blogs for inspiration, and one of my all-time favorite blogs, Smitten Kitchen, came through with a great idea for cauliflower cheese. It’s kind of like mac and cheese, only with cauliflower instead of macaroni. Doesn’t it sound delicious? I thought so! So here’s my version. I’ve adapted Smitten Kitchen’s recipe by using Gruyére instead of Cheddar, adding some extra Dijon mustard, and topping it with some smoked paprika and crunchy panko (breadcrumbs). (But you can leave those off if you are avoiding all carbs, or substitute sliced almonds.) Continue reading

cauliflower fried rice with shrimp, egg, and green onion :: by radish*rose

cauliflower fried rice with shrimp, egg, and green onion

Fluffy, flavorful cauliflower “rice” makes the base for this carb-free, veggie-filled dish. Since we’re smack in the middle of holiday season, I know soon you’ll be craving some lighter, brighter dishes. Fear not, radish*rose to the rescue! You’ll feel lighter and brighter yourself after eating this, and not weighed down like you can feel after the usual fried rice feast. Continue reading

crispy baked cauliflower croquettes :: by radish*rose

crispy baked cauliflower croquettes

Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside – yet light and healthy – totally guilt-free. You’d almost think they’d been fried, but guess what – they’re baked! Croquettes are typically deep-fried breaded treats – but these are WAY lower in carbs and fat than fried potato croquettes with traditional breading, because they are made of cauliflower and baked instead of fried. I used panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) for breading, but take note – you need some oil to make the panko turn brown and crisp in the oven (it will stay dead white if you don’t use any oil – I learned this the hard way for all of us. You’re welcome.). A blast of olive oil cooking spray before baking does the trick!
 
If you want to get fancy, you could add a bit of filling to the middle (like a small cube of cheese or ham, if you’re into that sort of thing) – just form the croquette around it.

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cauliflower mash with parmesan, garlic and butter :: by radish*rose

cauliflower mash with parmesan, garlic, and butter

Fluffy, buttery, cheesy goodness with no carbs?! What?! I had heard rumors about this magical rainbow unicorn situation and finally decided to try it for myself. I am thoroughly delighted with the results, and you will be too. It is 15 minutes to easy cheesy goodness! Yes, there is some butter, but let’s face it, if you had made mashed potatoes you would be eating at least this much butter and probably more (and it makes a LOT so you will not be eating the whole thing yourself in one sitting… we tried.. it doesn’t seem possible). Does it taste like cauliflower? Yes, a little bit, but not overwhelmingly. You will almost believe it’s mashed potatoes, really! I may bust this out at Thanksgiving. Hmmm *tenting fingers*. Continue reading