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SLOW DEATH BY DIET SODAS: HOW POLITICS IS LETTING THIS CHEMICAL POISON MILLIONS OF AMERICANS - Read the story  IN THE EDITORIAL SECTION

Potatoes: Choose white, red, orange or blue


By Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D. 
 
 

One potato, two potatoes, red potatoes, blue potatoes! From the creamy buttery Yukon Gold to the bold Purple Peruvian, the Garnett Sweet Potato or the familiar Russet, potatoes come in many colors and shapes. First cultivated more than 4,000 years ago in Peru, potatoes are one of the most common food crops in the world today. In the United States alone, nearly 35 billion pounds of potatoes are grown yearly. Each of us eats some 125 pounds of the vegetable on average per year.

What makes the potato America's favorite vegetable? Perhaps it's because potatoes are naturally nutritious, widely available, versatile and easy to prepare.

Potatoes' nutrition punch
Potatoes provide many important vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Here are some quick facts about potatoes.

  • Potatoes are a very good source of potassium, which is important for heart health and to build strong bones. One medium baked potato provides around 20 percent of the potassium recommended daily.
  • Potatoes also are rich in vitamin C, providing nearly 40 percent of the recommended daily value of this important vitamin. Vitamin C is necessary to produce collagen and to help wounds heal. It is also a powerful antioxidant, helping to protect cells from damage by free radicals.
  • Sweet potatoes and the full-fleshed red, blue and purple potatoes are rich in a variety of carotenoids and other antioxidants.
  • Potatoes are a good source of dietary fiber. One medium potato with the skin contains 3 grams of dietary fiber. Fiber helps keep the digestive system functioning properly and may help reduce the risk for some cancers and heart disease.
  • Finally, though they're often considered fattening, potatoes themselves are fat-free and relatively low in calories. A medium-sized baked or boiled potato contains about 100 calories. Frying this potato as hash browns or French fries, however, doubles the number of calories per serving.

Selecting and storing potatoes
When selecting potatoes, choose ones that are clean, smooth, firm and free from rot, sprouts, cracks, sunburn or other damage. Mature potatoes have thick, dry skins and are good for most purposes, depending on the shape. Immature or new potatoes have thin feathery skins and do not keep well at room temperature. They are better for boiling or creaming. Avoid new potatoes with large skinned and discolored areas.

Potatoes that have a green color have been overexposed to sun or artificial light. The green color indicates the presence of an alkaloid called solanine, which is bitter and can cause gastrointestinal illness if consumed in large amounts. Because of this, it's best to avoid "green" potatoes, or at least the green part. In some cases, only the skin is green and the flesh is not affected. In other cases, the greening penetrates the flesh, causing a bitter flavor.

The best way to store potatoes is in brown, perforated plastic or burlap bags in a cool (45 to 50? F), dark and dry location. Warmer temperatures tend to cause potatoes to sprout and shrivel. Storing potatoes in the refrigerator can cause their starch to turn into sugar, producing an undesirable taste. Potatoes do not need to be washed before storing, but should be washed before use. When stored properly, potatoes will generally keep about two months.

(Meander Editor's note:  Some people store potatoes under their bed.)

Information is from the local Colorado State University Cooperative Extension office.


Potatoes are always a good buy in the supermarket. They cost just pennies per serving and provide good nutrition for the money. In fact, potatoes are one of our most economical sources of Vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium, folacin (folic acid), copper, potassium and iron. So potatoes are an inexpensive supplementary source of high quality vegetable protein.

 

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The Low Calorie Truth about spuds

All too often the potato is guilty by allusion and association. Although the potato appears to be a bulky vegetable, it is 80 percent water, just a little less than in milk. Its association with high calorie toppings like butter, sour cream, gravy and mayonnaise dressing to name a few, puts the low calorie potato at a disadvantage. Just one tablespoon of butter will double the number of calories in a baked potato. There are many low calorie ways to prepare potatoes deliciously. Here are just a few tasty low/no calories ideas:

• Toasted sesame seeds
• Whipped butter and poppy seeds
• A spoon full of stewed tomatoes and a bit of grated cheese
• Melted butter or margarine thinned with lemon juice
• A mix of dried herbs: parsley, chives, basil, dill
• Mock sour cream (cottage cheese and lemon juice whipped in a blender)
• Chopped onion with coarsely grated black pepper
• Chive-spiked yogurt
• Salsa

Dieting needn't mean giving up foods. Authorities are opposed to fad reducing diets that rule out whole categories of foods. These diets rob us of valuable nutrients and are often harmful to health.

Low carbohydrate/high protein diets give us an overdose of fat-and may be hazardous for many people including pregnant women and those with heart and kidney disease or high blood pressure. Fad diets force us to make needless sacrifices of foods we like to eat and, perhaps above all, do nothing to teach a plan for eating for-life that will prevent recurring bouts with excess weight. The best diet is one based on a variety of nutritious foods, and the potato offers a high return of nutrients for relatively few calories.

From the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee

Potato Recipes for Spud Lovers

Scalloped Potatoes Cooking Guide

  • Scalloped and au gratin potatoes are classics. Here some other ideas to vary them:
  • Add sliced sweet potatoes, ground nutmeg, chopped chives and grated parmesan cheese to standard scalloped potatoes.
  • Layer scalloped potatoes with turnip slices and spanish onion slices. Add milk to cover. Dot with butter; then bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until tender.
  • Add Dijon-style mustard to white sauce. Layer potatoes with shredded Swiss, mozzarella, Monterey Jack or cheddar and diced ham (Meander Editor's Note:  We much prefer finely chopped turkey bacon, and it's better for you.) Top with sauce and bake.
  • For healthier scalloped potatoes use skim milk; then add chopped fresh sage leaves and thinly sliced yellow onion for flavor.

Preparation

All Scalloped and Au Gratin potatoes are baked "en casserole" and made from peeled potatoes combined with flavored heavy cream, white or cheese sauce, or uncooked custard, then slowly baked until potatoes are extremely tender. For best results use 100 - 70 count fresh potatoes. Slice potatoes 1/8 - 1/16" inch thick. If you pre-slice your potatoes, acidulate them in water with lemon juice; then dry, cover and refrigerate to prevent browning. Layer potatoes in a buttered pan and add heated cream, sauce or custard. Shake pans to distribute ingredients evenly. Cover loosely with foil; then bake in a moderate oven (325 - 350°F) until tender, about one hour.

To brown scalloped potatoes, remove foil and brown as desired. For au gratin potatoes, top with bread crumbs, butter and grated cheese after baking; then brown. Scalloped potatoes are done when potatoes are tender but hold their shape when portioned. The sauce should be smooth and uncurdled. (Bake potatoes in a water bath to prevent curdling.) For most attractive portioning, hold potatoes for 10 minutes before serving. En casserole dishes hold longer than boiled or baked potatoes. To hold, cover dish loosely with foil and hold in a warm place. The dish can be held throughout a typical service period, about two hours. If necessary, scalloped and au gratin potatoes can be reheated in the oven or browned lightly under a salamander or broiler.

For quick scalloped potatoes, mix flour, salt, pepper and milk; then pour over potatoes and bake for one hour. The long baking time dissipates the flour taste. For low-fat scalloped potatoes, mix skim milk, potatoes, garlic, salt and pepper and simmer until potatoes are nearly cooked. Dilute arrowroot with a little cold milk (1/2 oz. arrowroot to 2 qts. milk) and add to simmering potato mixture. Stir until thickened and pour into a hotel pan sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 350°F until brown.

 

Herb Potato Chicken

 

Dehydrated Potatoes make breading for chicken

Makes: 24 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp dehydrated potato flakes.
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic salt
  • 8 oz. (2 cups) flour
  • 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground pepper
  • 24 pieces (5 to 6 oz. each) chicken breast
  • 2 cups milk
  • Vegetable oil as needed

 

Instructions

1. Mix potato flakes, parsley, thyme and garlic salt. Mix flour, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.

2. Dip chicken in seasoned flour, then in milk, then in seasoned potato flakes.

3. Pan-fry in oil until browned. Place on baking sheet and bake at 375 ºF 12 to 15 minutes or until fully cooked.

 

Nutritional Analysis (Per Serving)

  • Calories 384
  • Protein 57.2 g
  • Fat 8.1 g
  • Calories from fat 20%
  • Carbohydrates 17.0 g
  • Cholesterol 139 mg
  • Fiber 1.3 g
  • Sodium 801 mg

From the Washington State Potato Committee

Potato Soup

3 t. butter

3 C. sliced or chopped leeks (you can substitute onions)

3 T. flour

2 qts. water

salt and pepper to taste

4 C. potato chopped

1/2 C. heavy cream

3 T. chopped parsley



Melt butter in a 5 quart pan. Add leeks and cook slowly for 5 minutes without browning. Blend in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually add water, stirring to prevent lumps. Add potatoes, bring to a boil and simmer partially covered 45 minutes. You can prepare ahead to this point if you like. Before serving bring soup to a simmer and stir in cream, parsley and 3 T. more butter.

More potato recipes from this source


Potatoes in Bloom

Not an unusual sight in the San Luis Valley, as the sun shines brightly on a downspout over a potato field in bloom between Alamosa and Monte Vista.

Photo by Dianne James

Fajita Potato Topping

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano, crushed
  • 8 oz. boneless chicken breast, sliced
  • 1 tsp.Vegetable oil
  • Tomato wedges, green pepper strips and diced onion
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 4 Washington Russet potatoes, baked
  • Lowfat sourcream or prepared guacomole dip, optional

 

Instructions

I.Combine lime juice, garlic, oregano and salt to taste. Add chicken, mix well. Marinate in refrigerator 20 to 30 minutes.

2.Saute chicken in vegetable oil in a non-stick pan until lightly browned. Add vegetables, salt, chili powder and pepper; cook until peppers are crisp-tender.

3.Cut or pierce tops of baked potatoes lengthwise; squeeze ends and push toward center to open. Top each with one-fourth of chicken mixture. Top with sour cream or guacamole, if desired.

 

Nutritional Analysis (Per Serving)

  • Calories 295
  • Protein 22.7 g
  • Fat 4.9 g
  • % Calories from fat 15%
  • Carbohydrates 40.5 g
  • Cholesterol 53 mg
  • Fiber 5.0 g
  • Sodium 362 mg

From the Washington State Potato Committee

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