Ho Ho Hold the Carbs!

Lately, I’ve been talking to clients ALOT about cutting carbs. Let’s just say that when you combine the 3-C’s-: Cold weather, COVID and comfort foods, it could have a devastating effect on the scale.

(Note: I received a cheese subscription from Dairy Max as part of their Quarantine Cooking Project. However the recipes and ideas here are my own!)

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely not a low-carb advocate. But for many people–who are either trying to lose weight, are trying to avoid diabetes, or have diabetes, cutting some carbs are the key to a healthier diet.

One way to cut carbs is to add non-starchy veggies to your plate. I’ve often said that if we all had half our plates full of veggies, many health issues would be solved, or at least better controlled.

But today I’m talking about how to expand your comfort foods to include more veggies. Case in point, mashed potatoes. Potatoes, whether they’re white, yellow, purple of orange are very nutritious. (I mean, research has shown that if you are stranded on a desert island–or Mars and you can only take one food, you should choose potatoes.) However, as with most things, moderation is key…and…it’s often how we prepare them that can get us in trouble.

Enter an old French recipe Purée Marie Louise. It’s one of those ways we add extra nutrition and veggies to our meals in the winter, when the craving for comfort foods like mashed potatoes is in high gear. (Note that the type of potato you choose will affect the texture–while Russet potatoes will make a more texture, red potatoes will make a stickier mash.

Purée Marie Louise

• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1/2 pound peeled carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces (or use baby carrots)

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup 2% milk or evaporated milk, heated (more if you like your potatoes “whipped”

• 1 tablespoon butter

• Salt, pepper and other seasonings to taste

1. Place the carrots and potatoes in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender enough to mash–about 15-20 minutes. (If your veggies are cut into bigger pieces, they will take longer to cook.) You can reduce the cooking time on carrots if you slice them–put them with the potatoes halfway through cooking time.
2. Pour off cooking liquid (or reserve to make a veggie stock at a later time.)
3. Return the potatoes to the pan and cook, stirring, until the extra water has evaporated. Add heated milk and mash until well combined. Stir in butter and seasoning.
4. If you prefer your potatoes to be a bit “gummy” in texture, put the veggies in a large bowl. First, mash with a potato masher, but finish with a hand mixer or hand blender, adding heated milk until desired consistency is reached. (Using a mechanical device breaks down the starch cells, giving the potatoes a different texture, which our family likes!)

Cheesy Add-Ins

Who doesn’t like cheesy mashed potatoes? Cheese is a welcome protein addition, especially if you have a child that’s on a mashed potato kick! And if you add cheese, you can skip the butter.

• Mix in 4-8 ounces of your favorite creamy cheese: goat cheese, Boursin cheese, American or brie. Make sure it’s room temperature or heat before stirring in, or mix with milk while heating.
• Top your mashed potatoes with sharp cheddar cheese. Did you know that if you use a more pungent cheese, you can use less and get more flavor?
• Make your potatoes extra cheesey with this recipe from the Idaho Potato Board.