With the incredible bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables available at this time of year, healthy eating and weight management is a simple as taking advantage! The abundance of fresh produce in spring and summer drives prices way down making them even more desirable. A trip to our favorite produce market this past Friday, stocked our fridge and fruit basket with every color of the rainbow and then some. Even water is more desirable, when fresh lemons and limes are floating in the big pitcher that I try to keep fill each night before bed. Here’s a super simple recipe for a garlic smashed cauliflower recipe that I made to go with some grilled asparagus and portobello mushrooms. I used only one head of cauliflower, but if you are more than 2 people, I would use two heads.
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Cut or break cauliflower into heads and add to a pot of boiling water with a couple of pieces of garlic. Boil for about 20 minutes or until soft.
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Drain water well and put cooked cauliflower and garlic in the blender with a a couple of pats of Earth Balance butter (sure, you can butter) until creamy. Add in some fresh ground pepper.
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Transfer to a casserole dish. Add a little more Earth Balance or butter to the top with paprika and bake for about a half hour before switching to broil for the last few minutes.
This dish is a great substitute for starchier, more fattening mashed potatoes. Mine came out a little to “thin” so I would recommend really making sure the cauliflower is well drained before placing in the blender.
Loading up on lots of fruits, veggies and water while eliminating most everything else, for just a a day or two or three, is about the greatest way to detox without being hungry. A morning shake with any combination of the fresh stuff will jump start your day with energy while giving your liver a really nice vacation.
If you woke up this morning feeling like you had just a little too much holiday, maybe a trip to your local market is just what you need to start feeling better IMMEDIATELY. That and a great workout, of course!
