Tag: Vegetable Recipes

Simple and Flavorful Mashed Cauliflower (Keto & Low Carb Friendly)

Easy Keto & Low Carb Mashed Cauliflower Recipe. Use your instant pot or not! This creamy cauliflower mash will help you feel a lot less deprived with your keto/low carb diet!

When you are on the Keto diet (or low carb in general), you will find yourself eating a LOT of cauliflower. I love cauliflower, so this is not hard for me. To say that cauliflower is an adequate substitution for my mashed potato recipe…well, I’m not so sure about that.

This recipe is awesome and I do not miss mashed potatoes when I eat it. Don’t look for it to be an exact dupe though. If you go into it thinking you are eating mashed cauliflower, you will love it! If you go into your first bite thinking you will be eating an exact replacement for mashed potatoes? You might find yourself disappointed!

I love to serve several of my favorite keto/low carb recipes (especially those with creamy sauces) over this cauliflower mash! Including:

Creamy Keto/Low Carb Mushroom & Artichoke Chicken Breast Recipe

From Scratch Easy Alfredo Chicken & Broccoli Recipe – Low Carb & Keto

Simple and Flavorful Mashed Cauliflower (Keto & Low Carb Friendly)

Ingredients: 

  • 2 heads cauliflower cut up into florets (you could alternatively use 2 bags of frozen cauliflower)
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp whole milk or heavy cream
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions: 

  1. Boil or steam your cauliflower via your favorite method. I love to use my Instant Pot for this (I put 1 cup of water in my Instant Pot, put the trivet in and put on manual for 7 minutes). Or you can steam it in the bag if you buy the frozen variety that allows you to steam in the bag. Regardless of what your method is for making the cauliflower soft, you are looking for SOFT cauliflower (but not mushy).
  2. DRAIN your cauliflower well. Get as much liquid out as you can! If you use frozen, you might have more water than if you use fresh.
  3. Put your cooked cauliflower in your mixer bowl (I use my KitchenAid) and mix until almost smooth. Add butter and then add cream/milk only to the point it reaches your desired consistency. Sometimes my cauliflower is more watery and I don’t need any milk.
  4. Season as desired!

Sometimes I make my cauliflower mash with cream cheese. I will take pics and post that recipe the next time I do it that way!

Simple and Flavorful Mashed Cauliflower (Keto & Low Carb Friendly)
Ingredients
  • 2 heads cauliflower cut up into florets (you could alternatively use 2 bags of frozen cauliflower)
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp whole milk or heavy cream
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Boil or steam your cauliflower via your favorite method. I love to use my Instant Pot for this (I put 1 cup of water in my Instant Pot, put the trivet in and put on manual for 7 minutes). Or you can steam it in the bag if you buy the frozen variety that allows you to steam in the bag. Regardless of what your method is for making the cauliflower soft, you are looking for SOFT cauliflower (but not mushy).
  2. DRAIN your cauliflower well. Get as much liquid out as you can! If you use frozen, you might have more water than if you use fresh.
  3. Put your cooked cauliflower in your mixer bowl (I use my KitchenAid) and mix until almost smooth. Add butter and then add cream/milk only to the point it reaches your desired consistency. Sometimes my cauliflower is more watery and I don’t need any milk.
  4. Season as desired!
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Tasty & Sweet Slow Cooker OR Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole

Slow Cooker OR Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole

Are you a fan of sweet potato casserole? Typically when I make sweet potato casserole, I am making a TON of other dishes. This slow cooker or Instant Pot sweet potato casserole recipe frees up your stove and oven for other things! You will not regret making this. This sweet potato casserole recipe will make even the sweet potato HATER in your family fall in love!

These are my FAVORITE Thanksgiving recipes:

Creamy Parmesan Spinach Recipe

Easy Creamy Mashed Potato Recipe

Black Eyed Pea, Shoepeg Corn and Avocado Salsa

Old Fashioned Easy From Scratch Stuffing Recipe

A few years back my sister in law made a sweet potato casserole dish that knocked my socks off!

This was pretty remarkable because I’ve NEVER been a fan of sweet potato casserole.

Ever.

I’m not a marshmallow fan (unless it’s in Rice Krispy treats) and was only a moderate sweet potato fan in general.

These were so tasty though!

I found out later that they are tasty because half the dish is actually sugar 😉 . It’s Thanksgiving though, so I say…live  a little! It’s more “dessert” tasting than side item, but who doesn’t need a bit more sweetness in their life?

This recipe is actually inspired by Reba McEntire’s Sweet Potato Casserole with just a few tweaks from me.

Tasty Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients: 

  • 3 large sweet potatoes (soften them in the microwave and peel and cube them)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted

***Topping***

  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:

  1. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in the slow cooker with the salt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, granulated sugar and butter.
  2. Mash the potatoes as well as you can and stir it all together.
  3. Cook on low for about 2-3 hours
  4. Mix the topping ingredients and add the topping about 30-45 minutes before you plan to serve.

Enjoy!

Tip: To make this in the instant pot, you would use the “slow cooker” function.

This is so tasty! I think you’ll love it too!

Tasty & Sweet Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
    • 3 large sweet potatoes (soften them in the microwave and peel and cube them)
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/4 cup butter, melted
    • ***Topping***
    • 1/4 cup butter, melted
    • 3 tablespoons flour
    • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
    1. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in the slow cooker with the salt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, granulated sugar and butter.
    1. Mash the potatoes as well as you can and stir it all together.
    1. Cook on low for about 2-3 hours
  1. Mix the topping ingredients and add the topping about 30-45 minutes before you plan to serve.
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Savory Roasted Broccoli Recipe

Need to bookmark this veggie recipe to make later? Pin it!

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Do you have trouble getting your kids or husband to eat vegetables? My 3 year old daughter had always said “I don’t like broccoli!” until she finally tried my Savory Roasted Broccoli Recipe. Now she says “Broccoli is super yummy!”. Yes, my 3 year old LOVES broccoli! My husband even enjoys it and my known to be picky 17 month old CRIES FOR BROCCOLI! Yes, cries! It’s like music to my ears!

Trust me, you’ll want to try this easy and delicious recipe for Savory Roasted Broccoli!

Ingredients:

  • Fresh broccoli
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt and/or any other spices you’d like. I’ve tried it with minced garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice, but the kids didn’t like it as well (I thought it was delicious!).

Directions:

  1. Cut the florets apart into bite sized pieces. The smaller the pieces, the less cook time you’ll need. You want the broccoli as dry as you can get it, so if you wash it, dry it thoroughly!! I don’t wash mine. I figure it’s cooked at a high enough temperature to kill any  germs!
  2. Toss in a resealable bag
  3. Pour in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, depending on how much broccoli you use. I used 2 Tbsp. on the above broccoli
  4. Seal the bag and give it a good shake to get the broccoli well covered with oil.
  5. Pour onto tin foil lined baking pan and season with salt or other desired spices.
  6. Finally, roast in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes (depending on broccoli size). Turn broccoli half way through cooking.

Your finished product will be tender, tasty, savory roasted broccoli! Now, go surprise your family and show them that broccoli can be “super yummy!”.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Spears Recipe-Baked Not Fried!


This is a guest post by Cheryl Siens

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Pin this and make it later!

It’s that time of year, when sweet potatoes start going on sale.  Being from the South, my favorite way to eat them is candied, with lots of brown sugar and marshmallows. Mmmmmm   But I always make myself wait till Thanksgiving to candy them.  In the meantime, I hate to let a good sale go to waste, so I found this yummy recipe for sweet potato spears.  And, in case you didn’t know, sweet potatoes are heart healthy – when you leave off the marshmallows and brown sugar.  😉

Sweet Potato Spears 

  • 1 ½ lbs Sweet Potatoes peeled and cut length wise into wedges
  • 1tbs olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp thyme
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

 

Put olive oil, salt, thyme, black pepper and nutmeg in a zip-top baggie.  Add sweet potato wedges.  Make sure wedges are coated thoroughly, then place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake at 450 for 25 minutes

Be sure to check out all the frugal recipes here on Family Friendly Frugality!

Are you interested in guest posting on Family Friendly Frugality? Please email me heather @ familyfriendlyfrugality.com. I’m looking for anything in the family friendly/frugal niche, but specifically how-to’s, DIY posts and RECIPES! Must be original content not posted elsewhere.

Slow Cooker Eat-Those-Vegetables Soup

Mmmm, this here is FALL food!

I love soup. I don’t love veggies as much as I should though. Throw some veggies in a soup though? I’ll eat practically any variety. Something about veggies in soup just makes me feel good and wholesome. Not sure what it is.

This slow cooker Vegetable Soup is ridiculously easy and VERY tasty. It’s also incredibly versatile. I hesitate to even suggest ingredients, because really…any veggies will do.

I do brown my veggies for a bit in a pot with some olive oil, but it’s not totally necessary. I just love the flavor it adds to the finished soup.

Ingredients:

  • Veggies of your choice (I used 1/2 eggplant, 1 zucchini, 1 squash, 1 onion & 2 carrots); cut them all the same size. I like them on the smaller side.
  • 6 cups beef broth (or you can sub vegetable stock, but I like the flavor of the beef)
  • 1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 3 fresh bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Olive oil for browning (drizzle)

Directions: 

  1. Once your veggies are all chopped up, you’ll want to heat some olive oil in a pot on the stove. Brown your veggies in batches and salt and pepper each batch. You aren’t looking for them to be fully cooked, just get a nice brown color on them.
  2. Throw the veggies into the slow cooker.
  3. Pour your beef broth into the pot you browned the veggies in and scrape the bottom to get all the yummy goodness into the broth.
  4. Meanwhile, dump your diced tomatoes into your slow cooker on top of your veggies.
  5. Pour the broth on top of the veggies.
  6. Add the bay leaves and italian seasoning.
  7. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Taste the broth about an hour before you intend to serve it and salt and pepper as needed.
Enjoy!

Be sure to check out all the Frugal Recipes available on Family Friendly Frugality!

I’ll be linking this recipe up to the Slow Cooker Squad’s Monday Linky!

If you enjoyed this recipe, I’d LOVE if you pinned it!

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Easy Pea-sy Simple & Quick Pea Salad

Pea Salad-Yum!

It’s not easy finding veggie recipes that the kids will eat. Shoot, it’s not easy finding veggie recipes I will eat!

My step mother used to make this pea salad for us growing up and honestly it’s the only way she ever got a pea into my mouth. To this day, I’m still not a fan of peas, but I’ll eat them in this pea salad.

It’s simple, easy to throw together and of course very cheap to make.

You can make it fancier, of course. Throw some cheese cubes into it, use fresh peas instead of canned, make your own dressing, etc.

I like it simple though.

Here’s my recipe for simple and quick pea salad:

Easy Pea-sy Simple & Quick Pea Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of sweet peas drained
  • 2 tablespoons mayo (I used light this time)
  • 2 boiled eggs, diced
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and chill in the refrigerator. Done.

See, I told you it was easy!

Serve this as a side and watch your kids gobble down their peas!

Enjoy!

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