Take Back the Taters: 5 Healthy Ways to Enjoy Potatoes

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Comforting, hearty, and oh-so delicious, there’s nothing as soul-satisfying as potatoes on your plate. The low-carb craze made potatoes as taboo as a deep-fried Snickers bar, but we’re here to tell you that just isn’t the case!

Spuds are a wonderful addition to any healthy diet plan. Potatoes are packed with vitamin C, potassium, and a great source of fiber. Instead of enjoying your taters deep fried, butter-covered, and bacon-laced, try these five healthy versions instead. (P.S. Remember to leave the skin on to enjoy the most health benefits possible.)

1. For an extra crispy baked potato, heat your oven to 350°F, poke a few holes in the potato, drizzle the potato with olive oil and bake it for about an hour. Garnish it with salt, pepper, Greek yogurt, and scallions for a healthy treat.

2. If you’re a fry lover, preheat oven to 450°F and toss potato wedges with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and rosemary. Bake until crisp and brown, turning once for about 20 minutes.

3. For a healthy take on traditional mashed potatoes, boil potatoes along with apples, parsnips, and garlic until they’re soft. Mash with a potato masher and stir in salt, pepper, and a dollop of low-fat sour cream.

4. Another great way to indulge in the comfort of mashed potatoes without the calories is to substitute half of your potato quantities with cauliflower. Use low-fat milk, cheddar, salt, and pepper and enjoy.

5. For a loaded and delicious version of potato soup, combine 3 diced potatoes with 1 diced onion, 2 diced garlic cloves and 2 cans of chicken broth over medium heat and let simmer for about 40 minutes.
Blend all the ingredients together with an immersion blender and add in salt, pepper, 1/2-cup fat-free half-and-half, 1/2-cup low-fat cheese.
Garnish with a dollop of low-fat sour cream and chives, enjoy warm.

Edited by Jody Smith

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springs Blogger

Love your tips. The potato is not what may cause weight gain, it is what you put on it. I also love to use sweet potatoes and make french fries in the oven sprinkled with olive oil and your favorite seasoning. Going to make the soup for lunch tomorrow!!

February 9, 2012 - 11:57am

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