My colleague here at CloudMom is about to delve into making her own baby food while simultaneously trying to lose those last few pounds of baby weight. So we thought it would be a great idea to run a series of recipes for dishes that mom and baby can share! These are simple, easy dishes with many substitutable ingredients so you can use what you have on hand without having to run to the grocery store.

For mom, this cauliflower recipe is a lighter alternative to mashed potatoes and pairs well with steak or roast chicken. Men love it too! Trust me. Cauliflower is also a great vegetable for baby, though because it can cause gas, it is not recommended as one of baby’s very first foods. Rather, if your baby has already sampled a few other foods, you can introduce cauliflower as you would any new food.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
• dairy – one or a combination of milk, butter, sour cream or cream cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh or dried chives
• optional: roasted garlic, Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Steam cauliflower in a steam basket until it is very soft (about 20 minutes). You should be able to easily pierce it with a knife or fork. You can also steam it in the microwave if you prefer (about 4-5 minutes).
• Make sure to reserve the steam water for blending.

• Place a small amount of the cauliflower in the blender and mix until it is the consistency of a puree. Use the reserved steam liquid (or warm water) if needed.
• There’s your baby food! You can use it right away or freeze it for later. Ice cube trays are a great way to freeze individual portions.

• Now for mama’s dish, put the remaining cauliflower in the blender.
• Add your choice of dairy. I use a dollop of light sour cream, but skim milk, butter, even room temperature light cream cheese will do. Just add a dollop at a time to taste.
• Blend until desired consistency. I like mine a little lumpy just like my mashed potatoes. Be careful if your cauliflower is still piping hot! You might want to put a dish towel between your hand and the blender.
• Optional: You can add anything you like to add to mashed potatoes like roasted garlic or Parmesan cheese.
• Top with fresh or dried chives and you have yourself a light, healthy side dish.

Bon appetit! If you do try this mashed cauliflower recipe, let me know what you thought! Do you have other suggestions for dishes that work well for mom and baby? Share them in the comments!

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