Tots are an American side dish favorite, often being chosen even over fries. But, if you have diabetes, they will drastically raise your blood sugar. Here's the perfect recipe to make low-carb tots.
Tater tots are fantastic. There’s no arguing against that. If there was, it would be the effects of “tater” on blood sugar. So, let’s replace the potatoes and make a delicious, low-carb alternative. Make them as a low-carb side dish or snack.
*Note: We do not believe that people with diabetes shouldn’t eat potatoes. While we acknowledge that potatoes will raise blood sugar if you have diabetes, it is okay to create your own meal plan, make mindful food choices, and use your meter to identify how foods affect you. Read more about “Diabetes Problem Foods: Potatoes” from Timika Chambers, CDCES.
This recipe uses cauliflower in place of potatoes for making tots. Cauliflower tastes great and is low in starch, which makes it a great choice for people living with diabetes.
Starchy foods can raise blood sugar, so choosing vegetables low in starch (like cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, kale, and broccoli) provides about half the carbohydrates as starchy vegetables like potatoes.
By choosing low carbohydrate options as carb substitutes for your favorite dishes, you can better manage your glucose levels while eating the foods you love.
Here's how to make this low-carb side recipe!
Ingredients
- 4 cups riced cauliflower
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 TBSP Fresh-chopped chives (optional)
- 4 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make a simple cauliflower rice:
- Wash and dry the cauliflower, and remove anything green.
- Cut cauliflower into small florets. Press dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Grate the florets using the grater attachment in your food processor (if you don’t have a food processor, you can use a hand grater).
- The results should give you roughly rice-grain-sized pieces.
Place the cauliflower in a microwave-safe container covered and microwave for 10 minutes and let it cool for 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cauliflower rice with the cheeses, garlic, beaten eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Form “tot”-sized cylindrical shapes and place on the parchment paper with a little space between each tot.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the tots for 30 minutes. If the tots aren’t browned enough, leave them in for a couple of extra minutes.
Serve with your favorite dipping sauces. Be mindful of your choices. There are hidden sugars in condiments. If you are reducing sugar in your diet, try a low-carb option, like G Hughes Sugar-Free Sauces, or make your own sugar-free bbq sauce at home.
Some Facts About Cauliflower
- Cauliflower is a good source of antioxidants, like all cruciferous vegetables. Antioxidants help keep inflammation in check, which can be a problem for people living with diabetes. When someone is living with type 2 diabetes, their body becomes less sensitive to insulin. Insulin resistance leads to inflammation, which can cause additional insulin resistance, a cycle to definitely avoid.
- Cauliflower is a good source of fiber. Fiber helps support healthy blood sugar levels by slowing digestion of carbohydrates, i.e. slowing sugar absorption into your blood, which helps promote a more gradual rise in blood sugar instead of those pesky glucose spikes.
- Cauliflower is low in calories (only about 25 calories per cup!).
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Cauliflower is packed with nutrients.In fact, cauliflower contains at least some of almost every vitamin and mineral your body needs. Some of the highlights in each one cup serving include:
- 77 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDI) for Vitamin C which, is necessary for growth, repair, and development of your body’s tissues
- 20 percent of the RDI for Vitamin K which plays a key role in blood clotting
- 11 percent of the RDI for Vitamin B6 which is important in keeping your nervous and immune systems healthy
- 14 percent of the RDI for folate which is important in the formation of red blood cells and for healthy cell growth.