Mashed Potatoes

I am an advocate for a special dinner on Sunday night. Sunday is a day to try recipes that you actually have time to make or make a family favorite recipe that requires hours of simmering. Occasionally I will make mashed potatoes, and tonight was one of those nights. I do not think much of it, but Joe loves my mashed potatoes, and I don't even have to trick him into eating them! :)

Here's how I do them:

Take 1 small potato (size of a lady's fist or smaller) per person eating, peeled and cubed, and the equivalent amount of cauliflower, cut into florets, and place on a steamer basket in a large pot. Steam potatoes and cauliflower until tender. Tonight, I used two small potatoes and equivalent cauliflower (approx 1/3 of a head of cauliflower) and let it steam approx 12 minutes.

Drain the cauliflower and potatoes. Remove the steamer basket from the pot and return potatoes and cauliflower to pot. Place pot back on hot burner (turned off, but still hot). Leave uncovered and shake the pot a bit for a few minutes. This allows the steam to escape, leaving you with fluffy mashed potatoes in the end, not watery ones!

Let the steam escape for approx 5 minutes, shaking the pot every few minutes to prevent burning. You will see the steam begin to fade. Then, take your potato masher and mash away. I add approx 1 tablespoon of Earth Balance buttery spread, a heaping tablespoon of horseradish, salt and pepper to taste. That's it.

At dinner, Joe said to me, "You should really tell people about these. They are really delicious and healthy." So here you go. By request of my Southern man who loves nothing more than mashed potatoes loaded with butter (2 sticks minimum), sour cream, whole milk, and bacon.

Sometimes I think we make things "too healthy" and don't actually enjoy them. Potatoes are a nutritious food. But when we add the butter, sour cream, whole milk and bacon, the fat begins to overpower the nutritional benefit of the potato itself. By adding the cauliflower, we can increase the portion size a bit AND bump up the fiber intake. A win-win situation.

I apologize for not having pictures, we ate everything! :) Enjoy!

The Recipe Redux: How to... Tofu!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and to celebrate, The Soyfoods Council has challenged the Recipe Redux'ers to create a creative dish using... tofu!

Tofu is a wonderfully nutritious, high protein food that is made from the curds of soybean milk. Soybeans have been the focus of many studies surrounding cancers, but breast cancer in particular. Some of you may have heard that soy may increase estrogen in the body, or that it may speed the growth of estrogen-sensitive tumors. However, research leads us to believe that the benefits of foods high in isoflavones and phytoestrogens (like tofu) actually helps to protect us against this tragic disease.

Beyond the potential prevention of cancers such as breast cancer, tofu and other soy products benefit cardiovascular health by providing a protein source free of saturated fat and cholesterol and may alleviate symptoms of menopause. The benefit list is lengthy! For more information, visit www.whfoods.org and search "tofu" or the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics www.eatright.org for peer-reviewed research.

As for cooking with tofu, it is a unique ingredient as it takes on the flavor of other foods you prepare it with. Alone, it is quite bland. I have been using tofu in recipes for years, as many of us with dairy allergies have! Here is a recipe that I have come up with in celebration of a great cause- Breast Cancer Awareness and a great food- Pumpkin! I LOVE PUMPKIN. I often prepare my morning smoothie with pure pumpkin, vanilla Juice Plus protein powder, ground flax seeds, a serving of silken tofu, a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, all topped off with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Delish.

More about pumpkin later this month...

First- a housekeeping detail, “By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by The Soyfoods Council and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

Now- onto the recipe... drum roll please!!!

Pumpkin Pie Parfait
Here are the ingredients:

1 lb silken tofu, drained
1 (15oz) can pure pumpkin *NOT pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (Please, use the real stuff. No Mrs Buttersworth in this recipe!)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Graham crackers or Graham "sticks" as pictured

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and puree until smooth:

Next, in a clear glass bowl or cup, crush graham crackers or "sticks"

Then, begin to layer pumpkin filling and graham crackers into a glass. Note: one serving of these Honey Graham Sticks was 14 Sticks, I used 5 in the bottom of the glass, 5 in the middle layer and 4 crushed on top. You can use your favorite variety of graham crackers, but for portion control- stick to one serving or less.

The finished product:

This filling will thicken as it sits. For better separation of layers (and to prevent the crackers from getting soggy), allow filling to thicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator and assemble right before you plan to enjoy. Which, by the way.... I did!

Nutrition Information:
Recipe as above yields 5 servings (note: may vary depending on ingredients)
Calories: 270
Fat: 5g
Protein: 7g
Carbohydrates: 48g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 174mg

Recipe as above without graham crackers (just filling), per serving:
Calories: 140
Fat: 2g
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrates: 23g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 4mg