Majority of your diet should consist of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. A simple and lip-smacking way to make sure that you are getting good amounts of fiber is by serving mashed potatoes on the table regularly. Aside from fiber, mashed potatoes also provide your body with a host of other nutrients.
Knowing how to come up with the perfect mashed potatoes can spare you from the need to grab a box of instant mashed potatoes at the nearest supermarket. So what’s the problem with the instant kind? It is usually devoid of vitamins and minerals in spuds due to the processing involved. Also, instant mashed potatoes contain all sorts of unwanted ingredients such as artificial colorings, flavorings and preservatives that can leave your health in a wreck!
The real deal is loaded with various health-giving nutrients. For instance, a serving of homemade mashed potatoes supplies your body with potassium, a mineral that’s good for your heart and blood pressure. It also contains vitamin B6 necessary for proper metabolism, energy synthesis and nerve functioning. Most definitely, mashed potatoes that you whip up at home yield fiber that wards off constipation and even deadly colon cancer.
In order to completely benefit from spuds, it’s a good idea to skip ingredients such as whole milk, butter and margarine. The absence of these things can make your enjoyment of mashed potatoes guilt-free. Especially if you are trying to shed off excess pounds or stay within your ideal weight, scrapping the said ingredients is imperative.
Keyed up to come up with a serving of healthy mashed potatoes that can outshine any other mashed potatoes? Check out the following smart tips and tricks on how to produce mashed potatoes oozing with perfection:
- Don’t chop your potatoes into really small pieces. Otherwise, they will absorb lots of water and fail to soak up the rest of the ingredients. Large spuds should be chopped up into pieces not smaller than 1 1/2 inches thick.
- Submerge chopped up potatoes in cold water. Doing this trick is an effective way to keep those spuds from ending up discolored. The resulting mashed potatoes will be much more delightful to the eyes.
- Quit going for a single kind of potato. When shopping, it’s a great idea to reach for an assortment of potatoes. This allows you to come up with mashed potatoes boasting of really interesting texture and flavor.
- Pay special attention to starchy potatoes. The likes of Yukon golds and russets make for really fluffy mashed potatoes because they are really starchy.
- Add non-fat plain yogurt instead of butter. Doing so will help make your mashed potatoes creamy without causing your waistline to expand uncontrollably. Some people love using pureed cottage cheese instead.
- Refrain from letting boiled potatoes remain in water for hours. If you have a busy schedule and you cannot mash your spuds right after boiling them, make sure that you remove most of the water in the pan. Leaving 1/4 inch of water in the pan won’t hurt your boiled potatoes. Once you have the time, simply simmer your spuds and mash away.
- Add a little salt to your water. Following this tip helps save you from ending up with bland-tasting mashed potatoes. If you are watching your sodium intake, then don’t overlook this smart step. Since your spuds already taste great after boiling, you can skip adding more salt than necessary later on.
- Don’t dunk your potatoes in water that’s already boiling. Some veggies are best cooked by adding them to hot water, but it’s a different scenario for spuds. For a more even cooking, fill your pot with cold water about 1/2 above the potatoes, and then turn on your stove.
- Never mash your spuds excessively. The more you mash them, the more starch gets released. This will leave you with a finished product whose texture is less appetizing and favorable.
- Use the right tool for the job. If you want your mashed potatoes to have lumps, use a masher, in particular something with wavy lines. If you want it really smooth, use a hand mixer.
