Re-post: 'Potato' Salad

This is a perfect day to re-post my favorite salad for the Fourth of July. This afternoon we will be having a huge family BBQ. I am in charge of salads. So I will be. Asking the traditional potato salad for many in my family but also the alternative salad with cauliflower in place of potatoes. I have been using a truvia instead of sugar which really helps. 

So...here it is!

6 boiled eggs
1 package of frozen cauliflower
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise 
1 tsp. mustard
1 Tbl. Sugar substitute
1/4 cup table cream
1/2 tsp. onion powder or you can put real onions in it.

Pimentos, celery or dill pickles would also be a great low carb addition to this salad.

After the eggs are boiled, peel them and chop them into bite sized pieces. Boil, drain and chop the cauliflower, again into bite sized pieces. Put these in a bowl. In take separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients together and then pour over the eggs and cauliflower. You can a season it with salt and pepper and maybe a bit of paprika. If you like it sweeter add more sugar substitute. 

Hash Brown 'Potatoes'

This delicious dish helps on those special days that you make a special breakfast for your family and you get stuck eating eggs......again.

Start with 

1 cup of finely chopped just barely cooked cauliflower

1/2 cup of drained cottage cheese

1 egg

Mix this all up with salt and pepper to taste. I wanted them to taste like potatoes so I added about 3/4 of a teaspoon.

Put butter or olive oil in a frying pan and drop a generous spoonful into the heated oil. This browns nicely so watch it closely. It gets done way faster than the actual potato hash browns.

Yum!

Low Carb Pizza Crust

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
• 1 teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning blend
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Rice the cauliflower in a food processor, place it in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 8 minutes or until cooked.
2. Place the cauliflower in a tea towel and sqeeze as much moisture out as you can.
3. Mix the cauliflower, egg, mozzarella, oregano, salt and pepper, press the mixture onto a baking mat or parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 450F oven until lightly golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Add your favorite pizza topping on this crust. You should be able to pick it up with your hands.  Try half size unless you have a lot of people are going low carb with you.

Easter 'Potato' Salad

The Easter season is almost here! What do you do with all those Easter Eggs? I have the answer! Make Easter Potato Salad. This is a low carb alternative to real potato salad. I use cauliflower to replace the potato. This is seriously good stuff. I actually make this salad once every two weeks or so.

6 boiled eggs
1 package of frozen cauliflower
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
1 Tbl. Sugar substitute
1/4 cup table cream
1/2 tsp. onion powder

After the eggs are boiled, peel them and chop them into bite sized pieces. Boil, drain and chop the cauliflower, again into bite sized pieces. Put these in a bowl. In take separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients together and then pour over the eggs and cauliflower. You can a season it with salt and pepper and maybe a bit of paprika. If you like it sweeter add more sugar substitute.

Low-carb Rigatoni With Cauliflower Sauce and Toasted Garlic Breadcrumbs

•  
• For the Breadcrumbs:
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
  
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, Panko or homemade (coarse ground)
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley tops, finely chopped
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 
  
• For the Cauliflower Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta, guanciale or bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons thyme, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons chopped golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 head cauliflower, root and core cut away from head with sharp paring knife
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound rigatoni(use low-carb noodles, I use dreamfields pasta)
• 3 tablespoons butter

Yields: 4-6

Preparation

For the breadcrumbs, heat EVOO and butter over medium heat, melting butter into oil. Add garlic and stir 1-2 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and stir until very fragrant and deeply golden in color. Remove breadcrumbs from heat and cool; toss with parsley and cheese.

For the sauce, heat EVOO, a couple of turns of the pan, over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Add pancetta, guanciale or bacon and stir until rendered and crispy, 3-4 minutes. Add onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes and raisins, and stir to soften 3-5 minutes. Add white wine and stock, set cauliflower into pot, season with salt and pepper, and cover. Cook 15-20 minutes until very tender then mash up into small pieces with wooden spoon or potato masher.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Add a cup of starchy water from pasta to sauce just before draining.

Along with starchy water, stir butter into cauliflower sauce. Combine with pasta and adjust seasoning. Serve in shallow bowls topped with garlic breadcrumbs.

This recipe is from the Rachel Ray show and modified.

"Potato" Salad

LOW CARB "POTATO" SALAD
16 ounce package frozen cauliflower
1/2 cup mayonnaise ( I used Miracle Whip, adds a few carbs but tastes great!)
4 ounce jar diced pimientos, drained well
1/4 cup dill pickle relish, drained well
1 tablespoon chopped onion, optional
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Salt, to taste
Cook the cauliflower until tender, but not mushy, about 8 minutes. Drain very well, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Mix all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Chill several hours before serving.
Makes 6-8 servings
Do not freeze
Per 1/6 recipe: 162 Calories; 15g Fat; 2g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 4g Net Carbs
Per 1/8 recipe: 121 Calories; 11g Fat; 2g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs 
* I 'borrowed' this recipe from Linda.  Thanks.  This is yummy! 

JUST LIKE STUFFED BAKED POTATOES

16 ounce package frozen cauliflower *
8 ounce cream cheese, softened
8 ounce cheddar cheese, shredded
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 pieces bacon, chopped and fried until crisp
Paprika, optional

Cook the cauliflower until soft, about 8-10 minutes; drain very well and break up florets a bit with a spoon (it's also very good if the cauliflower is still a little chunky). Put in a greased 8 x 8" baking pan or 2-quart casserole. Mix in the cream cheese, cheddar, green onion, salt, pepper and bacon. Dust top with paprika, if desired. Bake at 350º for 20-40 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Or, microwave, loosely covered, for about 40 minutes on 50% power, turning dish after 20 minutes.

Mashed Cauliflower

Pureed or mashed cauliflower is a great substitute for mashed potatoes. Low in carbs and high in nutrients, the "cauli-taste" is very mild. Try it even if you think you won't like it.! You can flavor it up in any way you like adding garlic is a great addition, or Parmesan cheese, or both!

Ingredients:

• raw Cauliflower - a medium head makes about a pound of florettes
• any combination of butter, milk, cream, or whatever you use when you make mashed potatoes - about 1/4 cup
• salt and pepper
• If you have low carb "instant mashed potatoes", add up to 1/4 cup for texture*
• Options: minced garlic (a clove or two); garlic powder (1/2 to 1 teaspoon); cheese

Preparation:

*I like to use instant "potatoes" made for low carb diets, such as Dixie Carb Counters Instant Mashers. Other people use a small amount of real potato or instant potatoes to improve the texture. But you don't need any of these things.

Break the cauliflower up into florets, or just chop. I like to cook it in the microwave in a container that I prepare and serve it in, but you can steam it. Cook it until it's tender -- a fork should easily pierce it.

The easiest thing to do is to add the rest of the ingredients to the container the cauliflower is cooked in, and then use a stick (hand) blender to put it all together. Or you can put it all in a regular blender or food processor.

Assuming 4 servings from a pound of cauliflower, each will have about 3 grams of usable carbohydrate plus three grams of fiber. The calories will depend on what else you add.

Cauliflower Fritters

• 4 cups steamed cauliflower (roughly chopped)
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (Substitute 1 cup of almond flour)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup hot water
  
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, flour, garlic, eggs, grated cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Add water so that batter becomes slightly more dense than pancake batter.

On medium-low heat, add 1 tbsp of oil in a 10 inch skillet coating bottom of the pan. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to form fritters. You can fit 4 fritters at a time. Cook until golden brown, turn and cook another few minutes. Add a little more oil to the pan, and repeat with the remaining batter.