There are a lot of reasons you might want to substitute cauliflower for potatoes when you want a mashed side. Certainly the nutritional value of cauliflower is significant:

• Potatoes are almost 4x more caloric than cauliflower.
• They are comparable in fiber, but potatoes are 4x higher in carbs.
• Cauliflower is a very good source of Vitamin C – one cup has 77% of your daily value.
• While both potatoes and cauliflower score above 100 on amino acids (meaning they are complete or high-quality proteins) the caloric ratio of cauliflower is 19% versus 7% for potatoes.
• Cauliflower has a significantly lower glycemic load (2 versus 10 per 100 grams) so this is a much better choice for maintaining healthy blood sugar.
• Cauliflower is mildly anti-inflammatory (Inflammatory Factor score of 18, higher is better) while potatoes are mildly inflammatory (IF score of -60).

But for me the flavor and texture are big selling points, making mashed cauliflower more than a mere substitution. It’s no compromise in my mind, it’s a delicious side dish in its own right.

You can double this recipe to make a big batch using the whole head of cauliflower, or do what I do: cut out the “middle half” in two half-inch thick slices and save for cauliflower steaks.

Ingredients:

• Half head cauliflower
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil + more to drizzle
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic (we love it, you should adjust accordingly!)
• Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Break cauliflower into medium-size florets.
2. Simmer in stock for approximately 10 minutes until tender.
3. Strain but reserve some cooking liquid to adjust texture later if necessary.
4. Place cauliflower, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processer and blend until desired texture.
5. Serve with an additional drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of pepper if desired.