How to Make Healthy Mashed Potatoes

Low-Fat Sour Cream And Low-Fat Cheese Add Flavor without Fat

Jul 29, 2009 Sapna Nayyar-Pellicane

Mashed potatoes are a good comfort food, but can be a little too comfortable. Low-fat sour cream and low-fat cheese give it flavor without the fat.

Potatoes originated in the Andes mountain range in South America, says a 2009 article on potatoes on the World's Healthiest Foods website, WHFood.com, published by the George Matejian Foundation, a California-based nutrition non-profit.

According to the WHFood.com article, estimates by researchers indicate that potatoes have been cultivated by the Indians living in those areas for a time period between 4,000 and 7,000. Potatoes can be grown at high altitudes unlike many other crops. Irish immigrants who settled in New England brought them to America in the early-18th century. However, potatoes began to be cultivated in this country only in the 19th century.

"The potato belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family, whose other members include tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and tomatillos. They are the swollen portion of the underground stem, which is called a tuber, and is designed to provide food for the green leafy portion of the plant," says the 2009 article on potatoes by WHFood.com.

Potatoes are a good source of nutrition if they are not deep fried or slathered in butter and sour cream, says the 2009 article on WHFood.com, as is often the case in typical North American diets. Potatoes are in fact good sources also of Vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber, says the 2009 WHFood.com article.

As for what constitutes sour cream, "true sour cream is a dairy product made primarily of cream," says Tricia Ellis-Christensen in her April 2009 article, What is Sour Cream? published on wiseGEEK. The bacteria derived from lactic acid that is added to the sour cream is what gives it its tart, sour taste and appealing thick texture. It is similar to yogurt except that yogurt uses other bacteria to ferment the milk, Ellis-Christensen explains.

Cheese, a popular food today, "is nutritious food made mostly from the milk of cows but also other mammals, including sheep, goats, buffalo, reindeer, camels and yaks," says a 2006 article on cheese by the website, Cheese.com, complied by the WorldNews Network, or WN Network, WnnMedia.com, a one-stop online news source based in New York and many other locations.

People began breeding animals and processing their milk around 4,000 years ago, which gave birth to cheese as we know it today, says Cheese.com, as compiled by WorldNews. This delicious food came about from the simple observation that milk left in a container ends up coagulating, or curdling, especially in warm temperatures, and "this might be considered the first technological cheesemaking discovery," Cheese.com adds.

Combining all three of these ingredients creates a comfort food that can get a little too comfortable. This mashed potato recipe will therefore make use of low-fat alternatives, such as low-fat sour cream and low-fat cheese in order to improve its nutrition value.

Ingredients & Preparation Tips

• Potatoes should be firm and not discolored. Any kind of potatoes can be used. Care should be taken to avoid peeling potatoes too close to their skins, as the skin contains the most nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.
• A fork can be used in order to test the softness of the potatoes and therefore their readiness for mashing while boiling the potatoes.
• Low-fat sour cream should be used instead of margarine or butter. It is available at most groceries and even at some convenience stores. The expiration date should be noted, and the sour cream should be a pure white color. Store brands are less expensive.
• Low-fat cheese is available at most groceries and some convenience stores. The cheese should be firm and free from any spots, which could be mold. The expiration date should be noted in this case also. The cheese should be grated or shredded, as that makes adding it to the mashed potatoes and mixing them easier. Any variety can be used, such as cheddar, American, or Monterey Jack.
• Condiments such as black pepper can be used according to taste. Herbs can also be added, either whole or powdered.

Light Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 medium potatoes, washed, scrubbed, and peeled
• 2 cups light sour cream
• 1 cup low-fat cheddar, American, or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded or grated
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon herbs, such as basil or sage (optional)
• Water for boiling

Directions:

1. Peel the potatoes and prick with a fork in order to enable the steam from the boiling water to escape more easily and therefore hasten the boiling process.
2. Boil the potatoes in a medium saucepan in just enough water to cover them. The potatoes are boiled when they are pricked again with the fork and they start coming apart.
3. Grate the cheese and add to the sour cream in a separate bowl.
4. Drain the potatoes and transfer to another bowl. Mash them with a fork. Add the sour cream and cheese mixture and mix until well blended.
5. Serve immediately with a green salad or vegetable soup.

This light version of a delicious comfort food serves 4.

The copyright of the article How to Make Healthy Mashed Potatoes in Healthy Cooking is owned by Sapna Nayyar-Pellicane. Permission to republish How to Make Healthy Mashed Potatoes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Mashed potatoes get a healthy makeover

the potato is a nutritious vegetable

What do you think about this article?

---

NOTE: Because you are not a Suite101 member, your comment will be moderated before it is viewable.

post your comment

What is 2+1?