Roasted Garlic and Chive Mashed Cauliflower & Potatoes

potatoes

You asked for a healthy potato dish for the holdiays, and I delivered!

Recently on Instagram, I asked what was the dish that you looked forward to the most during the holidays, and mashed potatoes got one of the top votes. However, this dish that is traditionally made with lots of butter and heavy cream doesn’t have to be completly tasteless when you make it healthier. Here I came up with a time efficient to roast a whole clove of garlic to add in with all of the other ingredients which not only has a great flavor, it also makes your house smell incredible.

I also cut the carb count on this recipe by using half gold potatoes, and half caulfilower. The texture and falvor is amazing, and your guests/kids won’t be able to tell that they are also getting in some non-starchy vegetables! I left the skins on the potatoes for added fiber and texture, but if you want to peel them instead that definitely is an option too.

Check it out below:

Roasted Garlic and Chive Mashed Cauliflower & Potatoes

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

  • 1 head garlic, cloves separated, left in skin
  • 1/3 Cup + 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds golden potatoes, skins on, cut into 1″ chunks
  • 2 pounds cauliflower florets (about 2 heads)
  • 2/3 Cup 1% milk
  • 3 Tablespoons organic unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Cup chives, sliced

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Place the separated garlic cloves in the middle of a sheet of foil. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil.
  3. Wrap the foil around the cloves creating a little pouch.
  4. Place the pouch in the oven until cloves soften and you smell the aroma of garlic, about 30-40 minutes. Remove and let cool.
  5. While garlic roasts, in 7- to 8-quart saucepot, place the potatoes with enough water to cover it by 2 inches. Partially cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and for simmer 10 minutes.
  6. Add the cauliflower florets, and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is very tender and can be cut with a wooden spoon.
  7. Drain the potatoes and cauliflower and return to the pot.
  8. Meanwhile, in small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the 1% milk and butter on medium high for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes or until the butter has melted. Add the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil.
  9. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from skins into the potatoes and cauliflower mixture. Add the butter mixture to the potatoes and cauliflower along with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper.
  10. Mash the potatoes and cauliflower with a potato masher or hand mixer until very smooth. Mix in chives with a wooden spoon.
  11. Serve immediately, or hold until service at 135 degrees.

Nutrition Facts (1 serving): 232 Calories, 15.9g Total Fat, 5.8g Saturated Fat, 0g Trans Fat, 19mg Cholesterol, 268mg Sodium, 21.7g Total Carbohyrate, 5g Fiber, 4.4g Sugar, 4g Protein

Want to know more about a having a healthy holiday season? Contact me to set up your FREE 15 minute phone appointment today!

 

Easy Honey Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Want to know my #1 tip for your upcoming Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or office Holiday potluck?

BYOV: Bring your own veggies!

Making 50% of your plate non-starchy vegetables helps keep the nutrition and fullness up, while controlling the portion size of the fun foods that we only see during this time of year.

If you are still looking for an easy and healthy dish, check out my Honey Roasted Rainbow Carrot recipe. With only 5 ingredients, you can easily throw it together to get some color on the table!
I used the pre-peeled Les Petites Carrots of Many Colors from Trader Joe’s for this recipe, but any rainbow carrots will do. This recipe is written for 4 servings, but can easily be doubled to serve 8 for a larger party.

carrots

Honey Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of fresh rainbow carrots, washed and peeled
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 Tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • Black pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a rectangular or oval baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
  2. Place the carrots in the baking dish, followed by the olive oil and honey. Toss the carrots to coat with the honey mixture, and spread in a single layer. Sprinkle with thyme and black pepper to taste.
  3. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the carrots are cooked and browned around the edges.
  4. Serve the carrots whole, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (1 serving): 74 Calories, 2.4g Total Fat, 0.3g Saturated Fat, 0g Trans Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 88mg Sodium, 12.5g Total Carb, 2.8g Fiber, 8.2g Sugar, 1.4g Protein

Want to know more about a having a healthy holiday season? Contact me to set up your FREE 15 minute phone appointment today!

How to Lose Weight & Keep It Off in 2018

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This year keep the weight off by doing one thing: stop dietiting! A healthy weight loss is one that can fit into your busy yet wonderful lifestyle – if a certain 21 day or 30 day “diet” doesn’t fit into that – it’s not the one for you.

Check out my healthy lifestyle tips to lose weight and keep it off in 2018!

  1. Start with S.M.A.R.T. goals. Your overall goal might be to lose a certain amount of weight in 2018, but how are you going to lose the weight? Set specific and measurable smaller goals to help you get to your big yearly goal.
  2. Use the portion plate trick. Make half your plate non-starchy vegetable at lunch and dinner – it’s easier than counting calories! This will keep the carbs and meat to the other side of your plate, keeping calories low and nutrients high. Keep in mind if you don’t use your carbohydrates for energy, they will get stored as fat.
  3. Cut out sugary drinks. This includes sodas, sweet teas and juice. Cutting out two sugary drinks per day could result in losing over half a pound per week. Remember, these count in the carb portion of your plate. Try regular, or infused or sparkling water for best results!
  4. Schedule your workouts. Write it down in your planner and reschedule if you have to – just like you would a doctor’s appointment.
  5. Eat Intuitively. Recognizing your hunger and fullness queues is the key to overcoming boredom eating. Figure out the best meal timing for you and gain a healthy relationship with food. It’s the opposite of dieting and counting calories – it’s listening to your body!
  6. Don’t eliminate an entire food group. This is one of the first signs of a fad diet! Eliminating a food group (unless it is for a medical reason) will not fit into your lifestyle in the long term. All foods can fit! Decide what you want that to look like.
  7. U.S. News & World Report’s WORST Diets of 2018: The Keto Diet, Whole 30 and The Dukan Diet. These are all very hard to follow, with lots of rules that make social situations awkward.
  8. U.S. News & World Report’s BEST Diets of 2018: The D.A.S.H. Diet, The Mediterranean Diet, The Flexitarian Diet. These are all healthy patterns of eating (many that incorporate exercise!) rather than “diets.”

Want to learn more about the best and worst diets of 2018? Join me on 2/15 for a Lunch and Learn with CoolSculpting Greenveille. RSVP here!

 

Sauteed Green Beans with Toasted Almonds, Lemon & Garlic as Featured on Scene on 7

Today I had the pleasure of meeting Jamarcus Gaston from WSPA’s Scene on 7! I shared my top 3 Healthy Thanksgiving tips including:
1.  Make half your plate vegetables
2.  Be picky and if you can’t choose, opt for 2 Tablespoons of all of your favorites
3.  Bring a healthy dish with you!

For my last tip I shared my Sauteed Green Beans with Toasted Almonds, Lemon & Garlic recipe. It’s quick, easy and packed with fiber and good heart healthy fats! If you don’t have a dish to bring to Thanksgiving dinner – I’ve got you covered!

green beans

Sauteed Green Beans with Toasted Almonds, Lemon & Garlic 

Serves:4

​Ingredients:

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • ​2 Cups green beans, trimmed
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 Cup slivered almonds

Directions:

  1. In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and the crushed garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
  2. Add the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, green beans and black pepper. Toss to coat. Cook 3-5min or until the green beans are tender and crisp.
  3. Add the almonds and toss. Cook 1-2 minutes to toast the almonds.
  4. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (1 serving): 116 Calories, 10.1g Total Fat, 1.2g Saturated Fat, 0g Trans Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 4mg Sodium, 6.5g Total Carbohydrate, 2.9g Fiber, 1.2g Sugar, 2.5g Protein ​

See you guys next time and Happy Thanksgiving!
scene on 7