Easiest Side Dish - Cauliflower!

Ohhhh my, is this EVER good.

It's easy, healthy, and delicious!

We've talked about how to lighten cheesy mashed potatoes with cauliflower, but why not just mash some cauliflower?  You end up with a lovely, creamy side dish with infinitely fewer calories than mashed potatoes or ANYTHING au gratin.

Plus, we use a nice low-fat dairy option!

Here's what you need:

• cauliflower - one head makes about 6 servings
• chicken or vegetable stock
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• cheese wedges - The Laughing Cow, or any off brand that makes you happy.  Mine are from Aldi!

It's so easy!  There are no measurements in this bad boy, either.

First, use a knife to carefully cut out the core of the cauliflower - just the core!

Chill out - if you don't feel comfortable doing this or the cauliflower breaks into pieces that's fine too!  It'll cook a bit faster in large chunks.

Once you've removed the core, leaves, and stem, place the cauliflower in a large pot with a lid and add about an inch of stock to the bottom of the pan.

Now, drizzle the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cover the pot and turn the heat to medium - you want the stock to simmer but not boil.  The idea is that we're steaming the cauliflower in the liquid.

Check the cauliflower after 20 minutes for doneness - a fork should slide easily into the cauliflower, like it would a ripe pear.  If the liquid seems to be getting low, add a little more.  If the cauliflower isn't done, cover it again and continue cooking until it's very soft.

Once the cauliflower is soft, remove the lid and turn the heat to medium-high so the liquid can reduce - you want a little less than you started with when you start to mash.

Then, grab your cheese!

I use 4-6 wedges per head of cauliflower.  You can use the flavored kinds too!

Drop the wedges of cheese into the cauliflower and use a spoon or potato masher to mash the whole mess all together until it's creamy.  Keep the heat on so the liquid will continue to reduce and the cheese will melt and get gooey and delicious.

Taste this and add salt and pepper to your taste - go nuts and add 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs, too!

That's IT - you can vary this with lots of different flavors, but plain is wonderfully delicious and a great addition to any meal.

Enjoy!