The Powerful Potato

America’s favorite vegetable is not only fat- and cholesterol-free, it is also high in vitamin C and potassium, and is an excellent source of fiber with the skin on. In addition to being nutritious and delicious, potatoes are versatile. Potatoes can star at the center of the plate with beef, chicken or fish, or on their own as an easy vegetarian meal. Or, mash, bake or microwave potatoes for a tasty side dish. Leave the skins on your spuds for an extra nutritional boost for a wealth of vitamins, minerals and fiber are found in the peel.

The Nutritious Facts

Potassium
Potatoes with skin are an excellent source of potassium, which is great for cardiovascular health. In fact, potatoes qualify for a health claim approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which states: Diets containing foods that are a good source of potassium and that are low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Just one potato offers 21-percent of the Daily Value for potassium. Potassium also helps retain calcium, which is important to build strong bones.

Vitamin C
For vitamin C, think potatoes! Potatoes are one of the leading sources of vitamin C in the American diet. This vitamin is a potent antioxidant that helps stabilize free radicals, which may prevent cellular damage. Vitamin C also produces the collagen that helps hold bone tissue together.

Fiber
One medium potato (5.3 ounces) with skin contains three grams, or 12-percent of the recommended daily intake for fiber. Preliminary studies show that fiber is beneficial for a healthy digestive system and may help reduce the risk of some cancers and possibly heart disease. Consuming adequate fiber and water helps increase satiety between meals.

Antioxidants
Potatoes contain glutathione, an antioxidant that may possibly help protect against some cancers. Per serving, potatoes, along with avocadoes, asparagus, squash, okra, cauliflower, broccoli and raw tomatoes, have the highest glutathione content compared to other vegetables. In a study comparing the overall antioxidant activity of potatoes, bell peppers, onions and broccoli, potatoes ranked second highest after broccoli.

Recipes:

Very Veggie Potatoes
Ingredients
2 pounds red potatoes (about 12 small), do not peel
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons dill relish
2 tablespoons capers, sliced olives or chopped jalapeno chilies
1/2 cup Vegannaise, a vegetarian mayonnaise (or use sandwich spread or regular mayonnaise)
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon dried dillweed
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
Salt and ground white pepper
Dash of paprika

Directions
Cook potatoes in steamer basket over boiling water until fork-tender, about 20 minutes (steaming is a healthier alternative than boiling because nutrients are preserved). Let potatoes cool.
Cut potatoes into cubes and place in large bowl along with bell pepper, onion, celery, relish, capers, Vegannaise, mustard, dill, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix with slotted spoon. Be careful not to mash potatoes by over mixing. Sprinkle with paprika. Recipe makes four to six servings.
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Potato Gratin
Ingredients:
Two pounds thinly sliced red potatoes
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
One garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (fat-free)
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
One medium seeded tomato, cut into very thin strips for garnish

Directions:
Coat 8-by-8-inch baking dish with vegetable spray. Toss potatoes with fennel seeds, pepper, garlic and one tablespoon of the olive oil until well coated. Spoon potato mixture into baking dish; cover and microwave on high power for ten minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oven to 400-degrees. Mix together salt, bread crumbs, Parmesan, thyme and remaining one tablespoon oil. Drain potatoes, sprinkle bread crumb mixture over potatoes and bake in oven, uncovered, eight to ten minutes or until potatoes are tender and crumbs are lightly browned. Sprinkle with tomato strips to serve.
Recipe makes eight servings.
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Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
*Wasabi is a spice from Japan, found in specialty stores and in some supermarkets now carrying McCormick's new selection of spices and herbs.
Ingredients:
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
3/4 cup 1-percent milk
1 tablespoon wasabi powder (see note)
1/4 cup (1/2-stick) butter or Smart Balance

Directions:
Place potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water. Boil until tender, about twenty minutes. Drain. Return to pot and mash.
Combine milk and wasabi powder in small bowl. Stir to dissolve powder. Add milk mixture and butter to potatoes. Using electric mixer beat potatoes until fluffy and smooth. Season potatoes to taste with salt and pepper. You may prepare this up to two hours ahead of time if desired. Cover and keep at room temperature. Warm mashed potatoes over low heat, stirring frequently. Recipe makes six side-dish servings.
Note: If you love spicy foods, you can double the amount of wasabi; however, if you are not a lover of spicy foods and are not familiar with wasabi, go easy at first try.
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Chili Topped Spuds
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
One pound ground turkey breast
One medium chopped onion
One can of pinto beans with liquid
2 cups frozen corn (thawed)
One can of (14-1/2 ounce) diced tomatoes with liquid
One can of (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies and liquid
One package (1.25 ounces) reduced sodium taco seasoning mix
One package (1 ounce) ranch-style dressing mix
2 cups water
Six baking potatoes (6 to 8 ounces)
Reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese, reduced fat sour cream and chopped green onions for garnish

Directions:
Heat oil in Dutch oven coated with vegetable oil spray. Cook turkey and onion six minutes or until turkey is no longer pink and onion is soft; drain. Add pinto beans, corn, all the tomatoes, taco mix, ranch-style mix and water. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, scrub potatoes, prick with fork and microwave on high for 20 to 24 minutes. Wrap potatoes in several paper towels to absorb the moisture to prevent soggy potatoes. Let stand five minutes. Split potatoes and top with chili. Garnish with cheese, sour cream and green onions.
Recipe makes four servings.
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Home Made German Potato Pancakes
* A chef of a Wisconsin restaurant generously shared this delicious recipe.
Ingredients:
4 cups peeled and shredded red-skinned potatoes
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1-1/2 cups flour
Egg substitute equal to six eggs
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Ground white pepper to taste
1-1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chicken stock
Olive oil to cook potatoes

Directions:
Grate potatoes and onions together into a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients except oil and mix well.
Pour the oil into hot sauté pan to completely cover bottom of pan to a depth of 1/8th -inch thick. Prepare potato pancakes to order by spooning batter, about ¼ cup at a time, into hot sauté pan. Brown pancakes on one side two to three minutes, then turn with a spatula and cook another two minutes or until done. When turning be careful not to let hot oil spatter.
Tip: Serve with hot applesauce or sour cream. Recipe makes six servings or more as smaller appetizer pancakes, if desired.
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Potato and Pepper Frittata
Ingredients:
5 ounces (about one small) yellow onion
6 ounces sweet roasted peppers
1 cup egg substitute
2 tablespoons skim milk
8 ounces (about 1-1/4 cups) refrigerated hash brown potatoes
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
Trim the onion and cut it in half lengthwise, then slice it thin (about 3/4-cup). Drain and thinly slice the roasted peppers (about 1/2-cup).
Preheat a 10-inch nonstick skillet with an oven-safe handle over high heat. In a large bowl, whisk the liquid egg substitute and the milk together until frothy. Stir in the onion, roasted peppers, and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the skillet from the heat, pour in the egg mixture, and smooth with a rubber spatula. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are set and the frittata is lightly brown across the top. Remove from the oven and let sit for about ten minutes before slicing and serving.
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Garlic Red Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 pound red potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper
Three medium garlic cloves
Salt

Directions:
Wash potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the potatoes in one layer. Add garlic and sauté until about one minute. Add potatoes and sauté until golden on all sides, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with a little salt and cover. Reduce heat and cook gently for about ten minutes, or until soft, tossing and stirring from time to time. Remove garlic and season with a little more salt and pepper to taste.
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Blender Potato Soup
Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra light olive oil
3 cups celery, chopped
1-1/2 cup chopped onions
1-teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1-quart of chicken broth
3 cups peeled and diced russet potatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add celery, onions and garlic; sauté until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except 1/3-cup parsley and cheese; bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Pour half of mixture into blender; puree until smooth. Set aside. Pour the remaining soup into blender; blend until coarsely chopped. Combine both mixtures. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with remaining parsley and cheese.
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Sweet and Salty Potatoes
Ingredients:
Seven to eight ounce shallots (about seven or eight large) - if you cannot find shallots, use an equal amount of sweet onions
1-1/2 pound red-skinned potatoes (about 25 to 28 very small - 1 to 1-1/2-inch in diameter are best, or use an equal weight of larger potatoes)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Four stems fresh rosemary, each about four to six inches long
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Peel shallots and chop them into pieces roughly ½-inch-square. Place pieces into large non-reactive bowl.
If you are using small potatoes, cut them into quarters, each in a half-moon shape. If you are using larger potatoes, cut them into quarters, then cut half-moons in half. Place potato pieces into bowl with shallots.
Pour balsamic vinegar and olive oil over potatoes and shallots. Stir to mix. Preheat oven to 450-degrees.
Remove rosemary leaves from woody center stems. Add leaves to bowl with previous ingredients.
Add salt and pepper to bowl and stir again to mix.
Pour contents of bowl into heavy 9-by-13-inch roasting pan (you can line with foil) or into any baking dish that will allow you to arrange the potatoes in a single layer.
Bake in preheated oven 35 to 45 minutes. If you like your potatoes dark, allow the entire 45 minutes. If you do not like them so dark, remove them at the 30 minutes mark, or set the oven to 375-degrees and roast for full time.
Serve hot or at room temperature. You can reheat the potatoes in oven (400-degrees for ten minutes) or in a wrapping of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a grill for ten minutes, turning once or twice.
Recipe makes four to six servings.
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Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
Two pounds russet, Yukon gold or long white potatoes
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
1-cup fat free milk
4 tablespoons butter or Smart Balance, cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:
Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-1/2-inch thick slices. Place in medium saucepan. Cover with cold water and add salt; bring to simmer. If using potato ricer, fill another saucepan or bottom of double boiler with water and place over low heat. Simmer potatoes until knife easily slips in and out of them, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander.
Place milk in small saucepan set over medium-high heat. If using electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, transfer hot, drained potatoes to bowl of electric mixer and on medium-low speed, mix until most lumps have disappeared, about one minute. Add butter; mix until blended. On low speed, add hot milk in slow stream, and then add pepper, nutmeg and salt to taste. Mix to combine. If using a potato ricer, place heat-safe bowl or top of double boiler over pan of simmering water. Press hot, drained potatoes through ricer into bowl. Stir potatoes with wooden spoon until smooth, about one minute. Using whisk, incorporate butter. Drizzle in hot milk, whisking continuously. Add pepper, nutmeg and salt to taste; whisk to combine.
Recipe makes four to six servings.
Variations:
Garlic-Roasted Mashed Potatoes: Wrap a small head of garlic in aluminum foil, place in oven at 400-degrees for 45 minutes. When cool, peel roasted garlic and add to potatoes, to taste, while mashing.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Add three smashed garlic cloves to milk. Cover and simmer until garlic is soft, about 20 minutes. Add milk and garlic directly to potatoes and mash.
Herb Potatoes: Add fresh herbs of choice to mashed potatoes.
Mashed Potatoes and Root Vegetables: Substitute five ounces cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, celery root or turnips for six ounces potatoes.
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Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
Six petite pumpkins, each about three to four inches in diameter
Four russet or Yukon gold potatoes
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
Pinch of salt, pepper and ground nutmeg
Ground ginger to taste
Parmesan cheese and parsley to garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Cut top off each pumpkin and roast, flesh side down, in preheated oven 15 to 25 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Separate and remove flesh and seeds from pumpkins. Add pumpkin flesh to cooked potatoes. Slowly add milk with butter to the potato and pumpkin mixture and mix gently together with food processor on slow speed. Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer. Season to taste with salt, pepper, nutmeg and ginger.
Using star tip on decorating bag, pipe mashed potatoes into pumpkins. Sprinkle Parmesan over each pumpkin and broil until golden brown. Garnish with parsley.
Recipe makes six servings.
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Corn and Potato Cake
Ingredients:
Two pounds of potatoes
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Five ounces trimmed leek (1 large), cleaned and sliced thin
4 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1/2 tablespoon chopped shallot
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
Two ears of corn, cut off the cob (see note)
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/3 cup whipping cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Bake potatoes in preheated oven, about one hour, until tender.
Meanwhile, mix salt and pepper together. Sauté leeks in 2tablespoons of the olive oil for about one to two minutes, adding about a third of salt-pepper mixture as you sauté. Add shallot. Sauté 30 seconds. Add garlic and corn kernels and about another third of the salt-pepper blend. Add nutmeg and cream. Bring just to a boil (scald), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat to stainless steel bowl. When potatoes have completed cooking, scoop potato flesh into food mill or ricer and pass flesh into corn and leek mixture. Add remaining salt-pepper mixture. Fold together all ingredients.
Heat 10-inch nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and place half of remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in pan. Place potato cake mixture in pan. Level off top and sauté over low to medium heat for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown (do not try to rush it). Place cookie sheet over sauté pan and carefully invert cake onto cookie sheet. Add remaining oil to pan and slide cake back into sauté pan. Sauté about eight minutes until golden brown on both sides. Again, invert onto cookie sheet and reserve in a warm place. Cut into wedges to serve. Recipe makes eight to ten servings.
Note: Corn should be shucked, oiled with 1-tablespoon olive oil and grilled for eight minutes, then cut off the cob. Rather than grilling, you can sauté corn kernels for two minutes before adding to leeks.
Variation: Shape individual corn cakes (8 to 12) and sauté as above, removing from pan when brown on first side and returning to pan with remaining oil to sauté second side.
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See also:
Potato Food Facts
More Potato Recipes!
Good Eats: Potatoes