Have you ever tried rutabagas?  They’re also called yellow turnips, and they make an amazing low-carb replacement for mashed potatoes.  I was initially inspired to try them after seeing Ina Garten’s recipe for mashed rutabaga with crispy shallots, and I like to serve them with bacon-wrapped shrimp.  I once asked Ben what his favorite dish that I’d ever made was, and he told me he’s always happy when I make mashed rutabaga.

 

Since I’m working on Thanksgiving sides this week, I wanted to put a fall spin on things. Here I’ve added winter squash, as well as a generous amount of roasted garlic.  The combination of mashed rutabaga and squash is fabulous.

Don’t be scared by the fact that this recipe calls for a whole head of garlic–once the cloves are roasted, they’re soft, mellow, and almost nutty.  If you haven’t roasted garlic before, you have to try it.  It’s really nothing like its pungent, raw self.  If you need more reasons to try it, consider this: garlic has lots of antioxidants, and you won’t have to worry about running into any vampires.