Ham, Cheese, and Cauliflower au Gratin

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    After eating the Trim Healthy Mama way for over 18 months now, my family misses a few family favorites from the past, now and then.  We used to love eating mashed potatoes and other potato-based dishes.

    However, we've discovered that in many cases, we can substitute lightly steamed cauliflower in place of the potatoes, and some of that favorite deliciousness from meals in the past comes right to our dinner table!

    This recipe received blue-ribbon scores from all of my family members as the top recipe we tried this month. ☺  Usually, one or two of us really like a new recipe, and the rest of the family is ho-hum about it.  I'm usually one who likes just about anything, so I enjoy trying new recipes. 

    In fact, we liked this so well that we doubled the batch to fill a very large rectangle baking dish so we could enjoy it for a couple of nights as leftovers - yum!

    Here's the recipe and the printable recipe page to download and print out.  This recipe will work delightfully for all of you who are following Trim Healthy Mama or need to be on a low-carb or low-glycemic diet:

Ham, Cheese, and Cauliflower au Gratin

• 1 large head fresh cauliflower
• 2 cups cooked and diced ham
• 4 oz. softened cream cheese
• 3/4 cup Greek plain nonfat yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. dry grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• pepper to taste
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  

     Preheat oven to 350° F.  Cut fresh cauliflower into small florets, discarding the leaves and core.  Steam or boil cauliflower until slightly soft, so it can be mashed.  (I prefer to remove steamed cauliflower from the heat before it's fork-tender.) 

Steamed cauliflower ready to "rice" or "mash"

Creamy sauce blend ready for steamed cauliflower

 

Click on this image to download and print the recipe for Ham, Cheese, and Cauliflower au Gratin!

    In a separate small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, Greek yogurt, and sliced green onions.

    When cauliflower has started to soften, drain it well, place cooked cauliflower back into the pot, and mash it with either a potato masher, a hand mixer, or my favorite stick blender.  (A stick blender will give more of a "mashed potato" texture, while a hand mixer or a potato masher will give more of a "riced cauliflower" texture.)

    Stir in the cream cheese mixture and combine well with the mashed cauliflower.  Gently mix in the cubed ham.  Season to taste with pepper.  Spray an 8x8" casserole dish with nonstick coconut oil spray.  Spread cauliflower mixture into the dish; spread out evenly and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese has melted and lightly browned, and the mixture is hot throughout and has started to bubble.  Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes for any extra liquid to be absorbed.  Serve hot.  Serves 4-6.

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                                                            Free recipe printable:

 

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