Did you know that you can mash cauliflower much as you would potatoes?

Simply cut the cauliflower into small pieces and boil until tender. Then use a potato masher or electric beater. They won’t be as smooth as potatoes, but the texture and taste will surprise you. Just add butter, garlic, or whatever seasonings you would use in mashed potatoes.

Here’s the good news — cauliflower is low in saturated fat, and cholesterol. It is a good source of protein, thiamin, riboflavin, phosphorus and potassium, as well dietary fiber, vitamins C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenicacid and manganese.

That’s a lot of nutritional punch for little effort. You’ll learn to love your veggies with this tip!

I love this time of year! The colors of autumn make me feel warm and cozy, and the abundance of fresh produce makes me want to spend time in the kitchen.

Here’s a simple way to make sweet potato fries loaded with flavor. Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins A and C, plus plenty of fiber, making it a nutritious side dish all year long.

All you need is:

* sweet potatoes * fresh ground black pepper * olive oil * basil * sea salt (You can skip the salt if you are on a low salt diet.)

Scrub the potato well and leave the peel on. Cut into large fries – I cut them like steak fries, or Texas fries. Arrange fries on a cookie sheet in a single layer.

Pour some olive oil over them and roll them around in it so that they are coated with oil. Sprinkle with sea salt – McCormick makes a sea salt grinder, which is what I use.

Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for about 35 minutes. (Cook time depends on how thick you cut them. Check tenderness with a fork.)

Sprinkle again with a mixture of sea salt, fresh ground black pepper and basil. They look great and make a pleasant change of pace. You can have them with a meal or serve them up for a snack.

Use this handy widget to get nutritional data on sweet potatoes prepared in a variety of ways.

While grocery shopping recently, I couldn’t help but notice the beauty of the spaghetti squash. It seemed like the very essence of autumn’s bounty, so I added one to our cart.

The day I decided to make the squash, I allowed myself to be completely sidetracked by blogging, and got a late start. With the pork roast already in the oven, time was running out.

I read the cooking instructions on the sticker only to find that I needed 45 minutes to an hour to cook spaghetti squash thoroughly. Uh-oh. Time for plan B.

I cut the squash in half and removed the seeds per the instructions. Cutting this monster in half is actually the hardest part. Then I placed the two halves in a large Corningware dish, over 1/2 cup of water. With the dish covered, I popped it into the microwave for 12 minutes, until it was tender.

Then I discovered why it’s called spaghetti squash. With a fork, you scrape the insides of the squash, which comes up in strands like spaghetti. Placing the strands in a dish, I added butter, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.

It was so simple, but full of flavor. My husband, who is not fond of squash, not only ate it, but went back for seconds!

I am a big fan of trying new things — and keeping things simple. This is one more side dish to add to my repertoire.

Brussels sprouts aren’t the most popular vegetable in the world, but we love them. When your entree is mild, and you need a hearty side dish, brussels sprouts are the perfect answer.

Here, I’ve mixed them with slices of yellow onion and an orange bell pepper. With a little freshly ground black pepper and a generous amount of olive oil, saute until tender. Sometimes I also add ham, chopped into very small pieces, or bacon bits.

Bonus… brussels sprouts are a cinch to prepare and pack a powerful nutritional punch!

For some interesting data about brussels sprouts, visit NutritionData.com: Brussels Sprouts