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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- If your New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and eat healthier, there is a simple solution to cutting calories but not taste.

If you love your mashed potatoes and don’t want to give up that great taste, by swapping out potatoes for cauliflower you have just made the recipe a lot healthier.

According to South Ottumwa Hy-Vee Dietician Heather Ware, cauliflower is packed full of fiber, eight grams per 100 calorie serving. Our daily fiber intake is supposed to be anywhere from 25 to 35 grams of per day to help keep us full, making cauliflower a great addition to any diet.

“You simply take a bag of frozen cauliflower, steam fresh is the easiest. You can just throw it in the microwave, put in on for about five minutes and it's good to go. Then take it out, mash it up, mix it with some fat-free cream cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, pepper and then a little bit of low sodium chicken stock for flavoring and you've got a great substitute for what's normally a high carbohydrate dish like mashed potatoes,” said Ware.

Mock Mashed Garlic Potatoes

Ingredients

1. 1 medium head cauliflower
2. 1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
3. ¼ cup grated Parmesan
4. ½ teaspoon minced garlic
5. 1/8 teaspoon straight chicken base or bullion (may substitute ½ teaspoon salt)
6. 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
7. ½ teaspoon chopped fresh or dry chives, for garnish
8. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat
2. Clean and cut cauliflower into small piece. Cook in boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well; do not let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels.
3. In a bowl with an immersion blender, or in a food processor, puree the hot cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, chicken base, and pepper until almost smooth.
4. Garnish with chives, and serve hot with pats of butter.

Hint: Try roasting the garlic and addling a little fresh rosemary for a whole new taste

SERVES: 4; Calories: 149; Total Fat: 11.5 grams: Saturated Fat: 7 grams; Protein: 5 grams: Total carbohydrates: 8 grams; Sugar: 4 grams; Fiber: 4 grams; Cholesterol: 31 milligrams; Sodium: 170 milligrams