"Buttery" Broccoli and Cauliflower Mash: The Mashed Potato Alternative

Nothing says "comfort food" like smooth and creamy buttered mashed potatoes. The white potatoes that are usually used to make mashed potatoes are rich in nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium, and iron, but they are high glycemic. This means that they will spike your blood sugar and won't leave you feeling as full, so you're likely to eat more calories. Mashed potatoes are also typically topped with butter, sour cream, and/or cheese. These toppings help slow the digestion of the potato so there is less of an impact on your blood sugar, but they are unhealthy and contain saturated fats. The point is, regular mashed potatoes can be eaten on occasion with the proper portion size, but there are better options! This "buttery" broccoli and cauliflower mash is a game changer, trust me. They're smooth and creamy like mashed potatoes, and they still have a strong buttery taste. And the best part is, you can eat way more because broccoli and cauliflower are loaded with nutrients and they're significantly lower in calories than potatoes!

Ingredients (serves 1 person):

-6 oz cauliflower and broccoli florets

-Splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, or milk of choice

-1 tsp butter extract

-Optional: 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Steam the broccoli and cauliflower florets. I usually just steam them in the microwave: just put them in a microwave safe bowl, add 1-2 tbsp water, cover with a microwave safe plate and microwave on high. The time will vary with different microwaves-- mine takes 4-5 minutes. Just make sure they are steamed VERY well, so they're soft. Then add the broccoli and cauliflower (drain out any water), splash of milk (probably 1-2 tbsp), and butter extract to a blender or food processor. I use my Nutribullet but anything works. Blend until smooth.

You can also just use cauliflower alone. I usually have both cauliflower and broccoli on hand so I like to use both...but either way it tastes exactly like buttery mashed potatoes!


The buttery broccoli and cauliflower mash is on the right, along with a baked sweet potato because those were my two sides with my dinner. What can I say... I love potatoes! :)

Approximate Nutritional Info: 50 calories, 10g carbs, 5g fiber, 5g protein

Miracle Mac 'N Cheese

I've heard a lot of mixed reviews on Miracle Noodles, so I finally decided to try them and see for myself! Miracle Noodles, aka shirataki noodles, are calorie, gluten, and soy-free.  They are made of an indigestible fiber called glucomannan, so they are edible and leave you feeling full.  They're tasteless, but take the taste of whatever sauce you cook them in.  Most people use them in asian noodle dishes, but I wanted to try to recreate another comfort food--mac n cheese! I was never a fan of mac 'n cheese when I was younger (weird I know...I was extremely picky!), but I figured I'd give a homemade and healthified version a shot.  It turned out delicious!! Something I'll definitely eat all the time because it's quick and easy to make. I used low-fat cottage cheese, which I use in a lot of my recipes because it's high in casein protein (a slow-releasing protein), nutritional yeast and unsweetened vanilla almond milk, which gives a cheesy flavor without using cheese, butter, and milk. I also used Al Fresco's Chicken Sausage, hardboiled egg whites, and vegetables for extra protein and nutrients but this is optional/add whatever you'd like!

Ingredients (makes 1 serving)
1 package Miracle Noodles
2 tbs low-fat cottage cheese (I used lactaid because dairy tends to bother my stomach, still tastes good!)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1/4 tsp minced garlic
Chicken Sausage
2 Hardboiled Egg Whites, already made & chopped
Handful of Baby Spinach
1/4 Avocado, chopped
Red Bell Pepper, chopped
Mrs. Dash

Directions: Cook Miracle Noodles according to the directions on the package.  Beware--they have a fishy odor but I promise they don't taste like it! Coat a pan with non-stick cooking spray and set to medium heat.  While that's heating up, combine cottage cheese, nutritional yeast, almond milk, and minced garlic, and either mix it in a food processor or by hand.  Set that aside and cut up the chicken sausage into pieces.  Put the chicken sausage in the pan when it's hot, sprinkle Mrs. Dash, and cover but move it around occasionally with a spatula. When it starts to brown slightly (it shouldn't take long since it's pre-cooked), uncover and add any vegetables such as spinach and red pepper (I didn't add the avocado). Then after 1-2 minutes add the miracle noodles to the pan and mix everything around with a spatula for another minute or so.  Pour into a bowl, add the avocado and hardboiled egg whites if you're using them, and mix in the sauce.

 

Almond Milk Ice Cream

Happy July everyone! Also known as National Ice Cream Month! Going out for ice cream is a common thing to do on a hot summer day, but it also comes along with a ton of calories, sugar, and fat. Frozen yogurt has become a very popular alternative, but is still high in sugar.  I decided to come up with a healthy, low-calorie alternative that will still satisfy your craving for something cold and sweet.  No ice cream maker required! I made this recipe using unsweetened vanilla almond milk, the only kind of milk I use. It's only 30 calories per cup, there's no sugar, and it still has calcium and other important nutrients that you get from cow's milk.

Ingredients:
-Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (I use Blue Diamond)
-1/2 tbsp of sugar-free instant pudding mix -- any flavor
-2 stevia packets
-pinch of salt
-1/4 tsp xanthan gum (optional but highly recommended. it makes it fluffy and thick)

Optional/Add-ins to create your flavor of choice:
-1/4 tsp of any extract- vanilla, maple, banana, etc.
-1/2 scoop whey protein any flavor
-stevia drops any flavor

Directions: To give an example I'm going to describe how I'd make Butterscotch Toffee flavored ice cream.  Mix 3/4 cup almond milk, 1/2 tbsp sugar-free butterscotch instant pudding mix, 2 stevia packets, 5 drops english toffee stevia drops, pinch of salt, and 1/2 scoop cinnamon swirl whey protein in a bowl.  Pour into ice cube tray and freeze.  Once completely frozen, blend the ice cubes, ~1/4 cup almond milk (or a little less if you want it less like soft-serve and more frozen) and 1/4 tsp xanthan gum in a blender.
*If you use a vegan protein such as Sun Warrior, I've found that you may need to blend it for a minute, add a little bit more almond milk, and then keep blending.  A little more complicated but it still works!

*I've also found adding 1 tbsp of plain Greek yogurt when you're blending the ice cream makes it like a Wendy's frosty! Not needed though!

I've made this ice cream with and without protein powder, with different extracts and pudding mixes, and it tastes good every time! Get creative and don't forget to add toppings! :)