My daughter picked a recipe for dinner the other night that called for smashed potatoes. They were really good. Eating them made me wonder why there are more and more recipes with smashed, instead of mashed, potatoes. In researching the phenomenon, I think I see why. Smashed potatoes are easier to prepare and they can be healthier.
Most smashed potato recipes call for keeping the skin on the potato so you don’t have to spend time peeling them. The added benefit is you also keep more of the nutrients since they are found in the skin. Another time saver is that smashing potatoes, once they are cooked, is a one step process compared to mashing potatoes which can start with smashing them and then move to smoothing/homogenizing the potato with a mixer or mix master. And then there is the lumpy coarseness of the dish which means a ½ cup has less volume in it and therefore it is appealing and filling without as many calories. I so like this benefit in my cooking!
Recipes for smashed potatoes tend to be lighter and use fresher ingredients like green onions and herbs. One of my current favorites is more like the traditional mashed potato in its ingredients and is from Cooking Light. It uses Yukon gold potatoes, most popular potato for smashed potoatoes, and adds Dijon mustard. They go really well with a steak. Check out my menu from a recent Live Vibrant blog:
The dinner ~ Seared Steaks with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce(289 cal), Steamed Chinese Pea Pods (40 cal/1 cup) and Dijon Smashed Potatoes (89 cal/½ cup). Total calories for the meal are 418. It was easy to prepare, visually appealing and very tasty. A definite repeat and a new favorite for this family. Smashed potatoes are now on our list of delicious, healthier foods.
Friends Read Free