I don’t know if you have little kitchen helpers, who get under-toe as soon as they hear cabinets open and the faucet turn on.  I sure do, and he comes in the form of a blond-haired, insistent sous-chef.  He’s pretty good at taking orders, but even better at deciding his own improvising.

What he enjoys is anything involving the salt or spice shaker, and so when he heard I was making mashed cauliflower, there was no turning him away (I rarely do that anyway).  Here is what we made together.  And his older brother and sister were able to enjoy grating some Himalayan salt crystals to help flavor our pureed and fibrous crucifer.

If you’re seeking a leaner body and need to avoid starches at certain times of the day, then mashed cauliflower is an excellent substitute for potatoes.  With Thanksgiving around the corner, you can bring this dish to your gathering and hardly skip a beat.  Here’s how to make it:

Mashed Cauliflower

1 head of cut-up cauliflower

1/2 cup or so of hot water

2-3 minced cloves of garlic

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2-1 t salt (we used Himalayan pink sea salt and a combination spice mixture that is meant as a substitute for table salt)

Cook up your chopped cauliflower in 2-3 inches of water on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.  You want to be able to pierce it with a fork.  (You might opt to add whole garlic cloves to the cooking cauliflower, but I like the strength of raw garlic myself.  It really does help keep the vampires at bay.)

Once cooked, scoop out of the hot water and into a food processor.  Add the minced garlic, raw onions and salt and puree until smooth.  You can add a dash of pepper or other spice and serve immediately or save it for later.

Try it with your turkey or eat it with your lunch and let me know how you like it.