Twice Baked Cauliflower

As the air cools, I can’t help but think of yummy comfort food. You’ve heard me say it before, “I’m a casserole addict.” I love them. I think they’re easy and leave leftovers so this momma doesn’t have to think of something new for dinner every night. However, as you probably know I want them to be healthy and for us that means not being loaded with starches like potatoes and pasta. This recipe is from my mom who saw it on pinterest.com and it fulfills my health request. Good ole cauliflower…we love the stuff and you may remember a couple posts here and here(link pizza crust and bread)with some of the more creative ways to use it. It is often used to replace other starches. For example, some people make mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes or riced cauliflower in place of rice. So, why not twice baked cauliflower! It’s delicious, hearty and just hits the spot on a cool evening! We serve it with whatever protein is on the menu. Enjoy!

Twice Baked Cauliflower
(Makes 6-8 servings; recipe adapted slightly from The Low Carb Gourmet.)

Ingredients:

1 large head of cauliflower
4 oz. cream cheese (do not use fat free)
½ cup sour cream (I used Greek yogurt) (do not use fat free)
¼ cup minced green onions
Fresh chives to taste, diced
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (if you only have finely grated Parmesan, use a bit less)
6 slices bacon, cooked until very crisp, fat blotted with a paper towel and then crumbled
1cup sharp cheddar cheese (do not use fat free)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Cut out stem and core from cauliflower, and cut into small pieces. Cook in large pot of boiling salted water until cauliflower is tender, but not overly soft. Drain well and mash with potato masher, leaving some chunks. Mix in cream cheese, sour cream (or Greek yogurt if using it instead), green onion, chives, Parmesan, and 3/4 of the crumbled bacon.

Spread evenly in a medium-sized glass casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and reserved bacon. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.