I decided to try my hand at a low-carb version of this tasty British food that has now become an American staple as well. My hubby is not so fond of mashed cauliflower, but even he admitted this was pretty darn good and said “Be sure to post this recipe on the blog!” This meal is not suitable for Atkins Induction, but can be enjoyed once you reach the higher carb veggie rung of the Atkins OWL carb ladder where carrots reside. This dish is perfectly OK for Primal-Paleo if coconut cream/milk is subbed in for the cream in the mashed cauliflower.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground beef

6 oz. homemade pork breakfast sausage (or ground pork, or use all beef if you prefer)

2 medium carrots, diced

1 c. zucchini squash, diced

1 c. frozen green beans

2 oz. onion, chopped

Dash salt and black pepper

1 medium (6-7″ diameter) head cauliflower

4 T. butter or ghee

¼ c. heavy cream

Paprika to garnish (optional)

OPTIONAL: ½ c. leftover beef gravy (I save and freeze all leftover gravy)

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375º. Peel and dice the carrots. Chop the zucchini into ½” dice. You can substitute diced turnips for the zucchini if you prefer. Chop the onion. Place all these veggies and the green beans into a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower to a slow boil for about 5-6 minutes. Cook just long enough to slightly soften them, trying not to overcook, lest their bright color be diminished in the final dish. Drain veggies in a strainer/colander while you do the next step.

Clean and chop the cauliflower into smaller pieces, place in/over water and boil/steam until completely tender. Drain well in a colander and put back into the cooking pot and puree, along with the cream and butter. You can either do this with a stick blender if you have one, or in a food processor or regular blender in small batches to avoid overflow. Season with salt to taste. If a little too thin for your preference, dust 1/8-1/4 tsp. glucomannan powder in and stir well to thicken the mash up a bit.

In a large no-stick pan, brown the beef and sausage, crumbling as it browns. Gently stir the drained veggies into the meat mixture and toss gently. Spoon off and discard as much excess grease/liquid that is in the pan as this can get soupy in the final dish. Stir in leftover beef gravy (if using). Spoon the meat/veggie mixture evenly into the bottom of a greased casserole dish. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, evenly distribute the mashed cauliflower over the top. Sprinkle with paprika to garnish if desired. Pop into preheated 375º oven for about 35 minutes or until the top is beginning to slightly brown. Serve and enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes eight 1-cup servings, each contains:

288 calories, 22 g fat, 8.18 g carbs, 3.18 g fiber, 5 g NET CARBS, 16 g protein