Cauliflower hash browns

I never used to care much for cauliflower.  It was just bland and uninteresting.

But, now that I am entering this new phase in life, I have grown to love it.  Is it my favorite? No. But, I might say it is one of my favorites.

I love cauliflower because of its ability to mimic potato. It can imitate hash browns, potato salad, mashed potatoes, and even home fries — all with a small fraction of the calories and carbs of potato, and a greatly lower glycemic index than potato.

Potato has been one of my favorite foods since I was a kid.  I love it in every form.  It is one of the things I have missed the most as I try to build this new and healthier lifestyle.

I will be posting more recipes down the road, but I want to put this one “out there” because it is my favorite cauliflower-potato recipe.

The day I discovered cauliflower hash browns was a good day.  They are delicious!  I compared several recipes I found on the internet and pieced together my own version, and from the very first bite I was in love.  If I didn’t know what went into it,  would have sworn it was potato.  It was that good.

What it means to me is that I have one more tool to help me make this lifestyle change permanent — and that’s really the bottom line.  I can’t wait to try shepherds pie with cauliflower!  I’ll let you know how it works out.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup diced cauliflower
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbs finely-chopped onions
• 2 tsp butter
• 1 egg

Directions

Be sure to dice the cauliflower to pieces no larger than 1/4 inch.  Smaller is better.  Try to imitate the size of the potato pieces in “real” hash browns.

Dice the onion so that the pieces are about the same size as the cauliflower pieces.

The seasonings are optional and according to my taste.  It will give you a starting point to design a food that is your own.  If you are not on a limited sodium diet, you will want to add a pinch of salt.  You might also try a couple tablespoons of shredded cheese in the mix.

Mix thoroughly all ingredients except the butter in a bowl.

Heat your pan and add the butter to the pan.

Make your hash brown mix into 2 patties and put the patties in the pan.  Cook well.  The only thing that can really go wrong with this recipe is to not cook them enough, which results in a mild raw cauliflower taste.  You don’t want that.  Cooking over medium heat until both sides are crispy should do it for you, depending upon your pan and your stove.

Let the first side cook very well before flipping the patty. You want the egg to set up firmly so that the patty does not come apart when you flip it.

Once both sides are well-cooked, the hash browns are ready to eat!  Experiment with the seasonings and cooking times to get the results you like.  You won’t be disappointed.