ArcaMax

My childhood Monday dinner went like this. Mom would set my plate of food in front of me. On the plate (because it was Monday - pretty much every Monday) would be baked chicken, mashed potatoes and a vegetable. Usually the veggie was peas.

My first move was to dig a hole in my potatoes and put in a pat of butter. I was raised in Wisconsin during a time when we were not afraid of butter, so that was a nice extra touch. The butter was cold. I’d cover it up with some of the surrounding mashed potatoes so it could melt.

I then proceeded to eat my chicken, followed by my peas and I’d save the mashed potatoes for last. Those were my favorite. I’d break open the encased butter, which was now melted. Then I’d dig in and savor those potatoes. I’d roll them over my tongue to get every last bit of flavor from them. If there were any extras I’d probably have a second helping.

I didn’t realize at the time that I was saving something that was the equivalent of dessert for last. I loved mashed potatoes. I ate them every chance I got.

As I became an adult and started having dinner parties, I specialized in fancy mashed potatoes. Some of the most popular ones were the ones to which I added parmesan and course ground black pepper or even better, the ones in which I’d add shallots that I had roasted in olive oil to a caramelized goodness. I recall those being an extra-special favorite of my friend Jill.

We all thought those things added to the mashed potatoes made them all the more decadent. Now I realize adding those things was making the mashed potatoes more healthy.

Mashed potatoes will never be healthy. I better clarify that. By adding the fats to the potatoes I was actually setting up a digestive situation that was making it easier for the liver to process them and not turn so much of the potatoes into sugar and potentially into fat. The measurements for the uptick of your insulin level when you eat carbohydrates are called the glycemic index and the glycemic uptake. By adding fat whenever you eat any carbs, it will slow down the glycemic uptake so your blood sugar won’t shoot up as much or as fast. And it will come down faster too.

So as we head into the holidays we are heading into a potato frenzy period. Everyone wants potatoes with their holiday meals. Even if you are going to skip eating the potatoes this year, your family will likely pressure you to make them or they might even be so bold as to make a potato dish and bring it along if you won’t make it. So if you are hosting the dinner this year I wanted to give you some options. Truth be told, I eat something that might approach a whole portion of potatoes on Thanksgiving but I am pickier about what I choose now. Because I only eat that full portion maybe four times a year, it’s a big deal. I am still careful, however in what potato preparation I choose to eat and what accompanies that potato is factored in highly too.

So, here’s a short list that lays out the Glycemic Index of different kinds of potatoes. Considering that sugar scores in at 100, you’ll see how the different potatoes rank. You’ll see why they are so sugary to your system that I refer to them as another dessert. If you focus on that when you are in the buffet line or ordering in a restaurant you’ll be likely to keep your potato portion under control.

How you cook the potatoes matters too. Raw potatoes score lower than cooked, but who wants to eat a raw potato?

For a select few of the potatoes I added another column to show you how many grams of carbohydrates are in that type of potato and under the specific cooking method. The number of grams of carbohydrates each person can handle in a day without gaining weight will depend on how large that person is (height and weight) as well as the efficiency of their digestive system. But let me stereotype for a minute and speculate that most folks cannot handle more than 80 to 90 grams of carbs per day without starting to balloon up. So why would you want to sink 37, 41 or even 63 grams of carbohydrates into your system from just one cup of potatoes! Remember that even fruit has carbs.

Everything you eat has to fit in that 80 to 90 gram number.

White potatoes, boiled...82
Instant mashed...90
French Fries...68
Sweet Potatoes, boiled...69…41 grams of carbs!
Baked...74...63 grams of carbs!
Red Potatoes, large, boiled...96
Baked, microwaved...86-112 (this one is a range)
C-sized red potatoes...78
Mashed baking potatoes...115...37 grams of carbs!
Yam...35-74 (this one is a range, too)
White sugar = 100

Keeping your carbohydrate percentage to less than 20% of your daily food intake is your secret to staying thin and healthy. That will keep your liver happy, your pancreas happy and even your circulatory system flowing smoothly with no clogs.

So memorize this:

The potatoes are the splurge. They are a splurge as much as any dessert.

Cheesy Hash Browns with Sour Cream
Serves 8

When I first started making this recipe I thought the cheese and the sour cream were the “bad” part. Now I know it was the potatoes. The cheese and sour cream and the yummy butter all combine forces to decrease the glycemic uptake of this potato dish.

Just keep in mind that potatoes are as special as dessert. I only eat them about four times a year. For me, this casserole will serve at least eight people. In some households where there is no self-restraint it might serve four! So be careful!

This is perfect for a buffet table. Everyone will rave about your contribution. If you want to keep the portions lower, consider serving this with a smaller spoon. That way people won’t take as much without having to notice that they are dipping into it several times. Just a little trick I use.

Ingredients:

1 package (1 lb., 4 oz.) of plain pre-prepared hash browns (Simply Potatoes is one brand. It would be healthier to shred your own but in this case I splurge a bit on a processed food.)
2-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup minced onion
Sea salt, pepper and paprika

Melt butter and two cups of the cheese in a heavy sauce pan, stirring constantly for about one minute. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, pour in the potatoes, onions, and sour cream. Now mix in the cheese mixture and season with salt and pepper. Pour all into a 9-inch square baking pan sprayed with oil. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top along with the paprika. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees until bubbly.

These are really HOT when you take them out of the oven so be prepared to let them sit for a spell before you serve them. They are even good at room temperature on a buffet if they’ve been sitting for a while.

Enjoy!
Cheers,
Zola