Low Carb Scallops with Mashed Cauliflower

After the carb fest that was Thanksgiving, my body has been craving low carb meal options. The week after preparing large meals, I always try to keep my daily meals simple and quick. So, this meal is perfect: it’s low carb and it is ready in minutes! You can have this little taste of heaven ready to eat in 10-15 minutes!

The first step is finding some great scallops. I buy them frozen at Aldi. Now, hear me out. These are actually really good and affordable! Just trust me and try them! Once they are thawed, you want to clean them really well…no one wants sandy scallops. Once you get them cleaned, you will want to pat them dry. I actually let them set for a bit on paper towels and place more paper towels on top of them to draw more moisture out.

The first tip in creating a good sear on your scallops is making sure the pan is HOT. If it is not hot enough, you either will not create that crisp sear or you will overcook your scallops trying to create that sear in a pan that is not hot enough.

I always season my scallops simply with a little pink salt and fresh cracked pepper before adding them to the hot pan. I don’t go too heavy with seasonings at this point because I will be adding parmesean cheese and my secret weapon seasoning to this to finish it off.

And, what is my secret weapon seasoning, you ask? Well, I am glad you asked! This white wine and garlic butter seasoning is the absolute best! I have used this with both shrimp and scallops and they both come out amazing! I was introduced to this seasoning when I was on a regular grocery shopping trip at H-E-B. They were doing cooking demonstrations with it and, being a seafood lover, I knew I had to have it! I have also used this seasoning to make dipping sauce for crab boils…but, I will save that for another post. If you can’t find this seasoning, you can substitute it with some minced garlic, a splash of white wine and a little parsley.

It should take 3-4 minutes to get a good sear on each side of the scallops. Now, when you place them in the pan you want to leave them alone. Resist the temptation to move them around the pan. The more moving you do, the less likely you are to get a good sear. And, you totally want a good sear!

I don’t add my secret seasoning and parmesean until I flip them over. And, just before they are done, I finish them off with a bit of lemon juice. Because no seafood dish is complete without a little lemon juice.

Ok…you got the tips for the scallops down. Now, we need to focus on that mashed cauliflower. Like I said, this is a quick and easy meal. So, we are not making this from scratch. Nope…we are using good ole frozen mashed cauliflower. I have tried a few brands and the best frozen mashed cauliflower I have found so far is Birds Eye Mashed Cauliflower (roasted garlic flavor). The texture is creamy and not runny (as I have found with other brands). It is also smooth and not lumpy. Now, I will caution you…this is NOT mashed potatoes. You can never think that it is because you will be disappointed. It does, however, mimic the texture of traditional mashed potatoes and this particular flavor is really good.

You can sub this mashed cauliflower for mashed potatoes if low carb isn’t your vibe. But, I like a good balance of soulful, hearty foods and more healthy, heart-friendly options. This meal gives you the richness of the scallops with the butter and parmesean, but the cauliflower brings a lightness to the dish. It’s just perfect!

Now you can pair this with the veggie of your choice or a salad. This is perfect to eat alone to share with a good friend or significant other. And, no one will even know that the mashed cauliflower is from a box.

Ingredients:

1 bag of frozen scallops

3 tablespoons of butter

1 1/2 tablespoons of parmesean cheese

1 tablespoon of Adams Reserve White Wine Garlic Butter seasoning (see substitution above if you cannot find this seasoning)

Juice of half of a lemon

1 container of frozen mashed cauliflower

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Clean scallops thoroughly and pat dry. Lay the clean scallops between two paper towels to draw more water out. While the cleaned scallops are resting, begin heating your pan on medium high heat and begin cooking your cauliflower in the microwave according to the package directions.

Once the pan is hot, add two tablespoons of butter. Season your scallops with salt and black pepper to taste and place in the pan of melted butter. Allow the scallops to cook for 3-4 minutes before turning them over to cook on the other side. Once you turn them, add the other tablespoon of butter and sprinkle the parmasean and white wine seasoning on top.

Just before the scallops are done (about 3 minutes after flipping them), squeeze the juice of 1/2 of a lemon on top. Remove your scallops from the pan and plate them on top a the bed of mashed cauliflower with a little of the sauce from the pan on top.