I'm really not a fan of using my oven in the summer, so I love developing simple, #nobake recipes. That's not saying that I never use my oven in the summer, but if I can avoid it, I'm pretty happy (and cool)! This simple, made-in-a-blender side dish will keep your kitchen cool and your family happy - and it's a fun recipe to get kids involved with creating so that you can show them how fun and easy eating vegetables can be. They won't even realize they're eating cauliflower! Not to mention, it's dairy free and vegan, so it's suitable for those with dietary restrictions.
Ingredients (serves 4, yields approximately 2 C cauliflower "mash"):
1 large head cauliflower, raw (or about 4 C florets)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Directions:
1. Wash cauliflower (no need to pat dry) and cut into florets. Place florets in microwave-safe bowl, cover loosely with paper towel or microwave-safe lid and microwave for approximately 8-10 minutes, until soft. Alternatively, you can steam the cauliflower over boiling water. It is very important that the cauliflower is soft, as this will affect how well it blends in the blender.
2. Transfer cauliflower into blender or food processor. Add olive oil, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, pepper and salt. Cover and blend on "puree" setting for approximately 1 minute, or until the cauliflower is similar in consistency to mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving (1 serving = 1/2 C):
Calories 83 calories, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrates 4 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 2 g, Sodium 165 mg, Calcium 15 mg
*If making this with kids, adult supervision is definitely required, and you may want to consider using child-friendly knives or taking over the cutting yourself.
*Please Note: While this dish is free from gluten-containing ingredients, I recommend using certified gluten free products if you need to avoid potential sources of cross contamination, such as in the case of celiac disease.