Save your spuds from a fattening fate
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution revelation is right – no matter what our schools’ nutritional guidelines (misguided guidelines, at best, it more and more seems) say, there is no way that pre-frozen, deep-fried fries should count as a serving of vegetables. A fry is not a vegetable.
A potato, however, is a vegetable, and one loaded with all kinds of nutritional goodness, including fiber, potassium, and vitamins B6 and C.
But thanks to its being frequently morphed, through the twin evil powers of salt and grease, into high-fat fries and potato chips; to its being slathered in ketchup, or submerged in high-fat dip; and to weight-loss trends of carbo-paranoia, the poor potato’s reputation has suffered. And while you should definitely think of them more like corn than like broccoli or spinach, there’s no reason why potatoes shouldn’t be a regular part of healthy meals for your family.
Here are three easy and nutritious ways to banish the potato’s bad rap. Whenever possible, maximize nutrients by giving the skin a good scrub instead of peeling it away.
Fry-less Fries. If you want tasty fries, it really doesn’t take a grease bath. Baking fresh-cut potato slices on a pan with a thin coating of olive or canola oil and a bit of salt or other seasoning yields a yummy result without all the fat of a deep fryer or all the “extra” ingredients found in many frozen prepared fries.
Monster Mashed. Mashed potatoes are really good for you… until all the butter, or margarine, or cream, or salt, or gravy goes in there with them. But plain mashed potatoes are, well, plain. Try using something with more kick, like cheese or salad dressing, to jazz them up; a little goes a long way, so you can add a lot of flavor without adding a lot of extra calories. My personal favorite is a sprinkling of grated cheddar and a spoonful of low-fat Italian dressing.
Sweet Like Candy. Cut up some sweet potatoes into bite-sized cubes and toss them into a casserole dish with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil, and maybe a favorite herb. (I like them with basil.) Raw or boiled they’re pretty bland, but give them time to work their magic while roasting in the oven, and sweet potatoes will live up to their name every time. And they make awesome fry-less fries too.
