We hosted the end-of-school swimming party for my daughter’s high school gymnastics team. One of the mom’s sent a baked potato salad that was so rich and delicious that I saved some and had it for breakfast the next day. She told me that it was really delicious but totally not healthy. When I started researching this delicious salad, I discovered that it can have up to 1,700 calories per serving. I was determined to recreate this decadent dish with all the flavor and fewer calories…and carbs.
Since low carb is my husband;s and my choice for getting ourselves back on track when we’ve been eating junk food for a while, using cauliflower instead of the potatoes was a perfect substitution. Most of the recipes that I read called for a lot of sour cream, mayo and butter. I could definitely cut down on those high fat ingredients without compromising the taste. For the purpose of making a low carb dish, I didn’t use the low calorie versions of mayo, sour cream and cheese, but if you go with reduced fat, you can cut an additional 75 calories per serving. The rest of the ingredients were relatively low in calories.
Now keep in mind that this isn’t something I’d be eating every day, but when I have the need for picnic food, I would definitely whip this up to serve as a side at a backyard barbecue or potluck.
Gather
Step by Step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray 9x9 or 8x8 inch baking dish with butter-flavored non-stick spray.
- Reserve ¼ to ½ cup cheese, 1 tablespoon onion and 1 tablespoon bacon for topping.
- In a 2 quart pot, cover cauliflower with cold water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil and cook till just fork tender, about 7 minutes. Drain, return to pot and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Mix well. Add to cauliflower and continue stirring to combine. Spread mixture evenly into prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Mixture should be bubbly.
- Top with remaining cheese and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Remove from oven and top with remaining onion and bacon. This salad can be served hot or at room temperature. Serve with a dollop of sour cream if you like.
Nutrition
WW PP 5; Calories 252; Total Fat 19.3g; Saturated Fat 7.8g; Trans Fat 0.0g; Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 1086mg; Potassium 303mg; Total Carbohydrates 10.0g; Dietary Fiber 2.0g; Sugars 3.1g; Protein 12.1 g