My dad hosted Thanksgiving this year, which meant there would be no vegetables unless I brought some. The man doesn’t believe in them. As a child, and full grown adult, he has gone so far as to “give them up” for Lent. Seriously.

Ignoring his protests, I prepared a few veggie sides to brighten the table and add some nutrition, with the not-so-secret goal of introducing him to a vegetable dish that he liked. That meant at least one had to include 1) garlic and 2) butter or cream.

So this morning I made one of my absolute favorites, a lightened up version of the Irish dish colcannon. Traditionally made with potatoes (duh), heavy cream, lots of butter, and either cabbage or kale, this dish encompasses everything that “comfort food” evokes, including the high fat and calorie load.

In lieu of starch-heavy potatoes, I subbed in cauliflower. Instead of heavy cream I used 1% milk and I cut down the butter. Today I used 5oz baby spinach (but have successfully used kale and swiss chard in the past) and would normally double the amount, but I didn’t want to overwhelm him with too much “green.” And to make it really easy, I used frozen cauliflower and minced garlic cloves.

When he set the table, he specifically put the cauliflower colcannon on the opposite end furthest from his seat, and he whined when I made him try a bite of his vegetables (? parenting practice). His face was priceless when he tried it. None of us knew if he was going to spit it up right there or praise it. Thankfully he did the latter, emphatically stating it was the only time in his life that he liked cauliflower. He even asked for seconds! (And by that I mean he had approximately 4 more bites…baby steps).

So try it out for yourself, and for your pickiest eaters, whether they’re 5 or 65. You may be delightfully surprised!

Ingredients

• Cauliflower florets, approximately 12 cups (2 large heads or 3 bags frozen)
• 2/3 cup 1% milk (or any milk you want)
• 2.5 T unsalted butter
• 6-8 garlic cloves, minced (I chose this for flavoring vs scallions which are typically used in colcannon – just a personal preference)
• 5-10 oz baby spinach leaves (or baby kale, regular kale, swiss chard, etc.)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1) Steam the cauliflower and set aside in a separate bowl. I had to do it in batches based on my pot size. Microwave steaming would work too.
2) Add 2 tablespoons butter to the pot, then add the garlic to the melted butter and cook 30-60 seconds until fragrant (don’t burn). Add the spinach (or any green leafy veggie) and cook until it’s wilted. Remove pot from heat.
3) Puree the cooked cauliflower and milk in a blender (in batches, as needed). If you don’t want it silky smooth, you can hand mash it for more of a chunky texture.

4) Add the pureed/mashed cauliflower to the pot with the garlic and spinach. Stir together and add salt and pepper to taste.

5) Transfer to serving dish. Top with remaining 0.5 tablespoon of butter and let it melt into the colcannon prior to serving.