My New Year's Resolution ~ Cook more!!

I originally didn't come up with a New Year's Resolution. To be honest, it didn't really even cross my mind until today when I saw a bunch of friends discussing their resolutions on Facebook. Even at that point, I wasn't looking for a resolution; I never really have done resolutions in the past! But, as the day went on, and I started to decide on what we were having for dinner...it clicked! This year, or at least for as long as I can keep it up, I am going to become more adventurous with cooking & try to document it on here as much as I can. Those of you that know me well realize that I rarely stray from the crock pot, basically because I really don't care for cooking and have very little confidence in the kitchen (other than baking cookies, muffins, desserts, etc). So...here we go!

Day #1: Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

I ran across this recipe on Facebook (imagine that). I 'like' Eating Well on Facebook and new & healthy recipes are always popping up across my news feed. This one caught my eye and I decided to give it a shot!

Ingredients:

8 c cauliflower florets
4 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed
1/3 c buttermilk
4 t. EVOO
1 t. butter
1/2 t. salt
Pepper
Chives

1. I used frozen cauliflower rather than fresh because I had a coupon for frozen veggies. First, you are supposed to steam the cauliflower & garlic together. I used my new rice cooker (Christmas gift from Ryan) to steam the veggies.

2. Next, you place the cauliflower & garlic in a food processor along with the buttermilk, 2 t. EVOO, butter, salt & pepper. I didn't want to buy a whole container of buttermilk, so I made my own by mixing 1 T. lemon juice or vinegar with 1 c. milk. I got this tip from the recipe (see the link I posted at the end).

Before

After

3. After that you are supposed to sprinkle the remaining 2 t. of EVOO over top & garnish with chives. We were out of chives so I used parsley.

 

Ta-da!! Easy peasy!

And for dinner we had: turkey meatball sandwiches with homemade marinara sauce that Ryan made over the weekend - spinach salad with cucumbers, cheese, avocado, & croutons - and my creamy mashed cauliflower! 

The verdict: I personally did not care for the cauliflower dish, but it may be a pregnancy aversion since I usually like cauliflower. Ryan & Connor both ate it and Ryan said he'd eat it again!


Here's the link for anyone interested in making it:
Creamy Mashed Cauliflower from eatingwell.com

Oh what shall tomorrow bring???