3 Creative Uses for Cauliflower on the Atkins Diet

If you know anything about the Atkins diet, you know that it's not just about meat and cheese. Most Atkins dieters consume lots of vegetables at every stage; however, certain starchy or sweet vegetables, like carrots and beets, are forbidden. Also, potatoes are absolutely not allowed. Because of these restrictions, Atkins dieters have to get creative with the allowed vegetables to keep their food choices interesting. One of the most versatile low-carb vegetables that Atkins dieters eat is cauliflower. Here are three great uses for cauliflower that even hardened cauliflower-haters (like me) will love!

Faux-tatoes
Many Atkins dieters complain that they miss potatoes more than any other food, so naturally they look for substitutes. Mashed cauliflower, also known as "faux-tatoes," is a very popular low-carb side dish. Raw or frozen cauliflower is boiled in either chicken stock or water until soft, then drained and mashed with butter, sour cream and salt and pepper until it resembles the texture of mashed potatoes. I like to add a little cream cheese to the mix, put it in a baking dish, dot the top with butter, sprinkle with paprika and bake at 400 degrees until the top gets brown. As long as you doctor up the mash sufficiently, it tastes nothing like cauliflower - a very good thing in my opinion.

Soups and Sauces
Most cream soups are based on a flour and butter thickening mixture called roux - a big no-no on any low-carb plan. However, pureed cauliflower will give you a similar texture without the carbs. Simply boil raw or frozen cauliflower until extremely soft, drain and puree in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Add half and half, heavy cream and/or stock until the mixture reaches your desired consistency, season as desired (again, I like to use some sour cream or cream cheese) then use as the base for any creamy soup, like Broccoli Cheddar (add chopped cooked broccoli and shredded cheddar) or New England Clam Chowder (add lots of clams). Delicious, and virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. My boyfriend ate my low-carb Broccoli Cheddar soup for 3 days straight after his oral surgery, and lost 5 pounds in the process! This puree also makes a great base for béchamel or alfredo sauce.

Pizza Crust
Okay, fake potatoes and soup are one thing, but PIZZA CRUST? That's right, you can actually create a decent, Atkins-friendly pizza crust substitute using cauliflower! Boil raw or frozen cauliflower until cooked but not soft, then grate with a cheese grater. Combine with shredded mozzarella cheese, soy flour or soy protein isolate and an egg, plus whatever seasonings you like (I use basil, oregano, marjoram and garlic powder). I find that I need different amounts of each ingredient each time, so experiment until you find the formula that works best for you - start with one cup each of cheese and cauliflower, one egg and ¼ cup of soy flour, and see how it goes. Oil a pizza pan and spread the mixture in it as evenly as possible - it will be sticky, so just do your best. Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until it looks dry and cooked through. Top as desired and put the finished pizza under the broiler to melt the cheese (don't try rebaking it, as this will soften the crust).

There are plenty of other uses for cauliflower, but as a cauliflower-hating Atkins dieter, these are the three I get the most excited about. You really can't taste the cauliflower in any of them, and your mouth will thank you for it. Your hips will thank you for sticking to your low-carb plan, too!