Money Saving Meals

Potatoes

Friday, 23 July 2010

Potatoes must be one of the most versatile of vegetables. This hearty and wholesome staple is in a class of its own when it comes to super-saver family fare from soups, salads and stews, to roasts and bakes or served as an accompaniment or topping for a pie. Great as part of a traditional meat and 3 veg meal, you can also enjoy them in massaman curries, gnocchi, tortillas, patatas bravas, moussaka and skordalia (potato and garlic sauce).

Shop Smart

The first thing you need to know is that different varieties of potatoes cook differently – some make great chips, some boil (or steam) well, some mash well and some are perfect for potato salad. This is why many recipes today tend to specify a variety of potato in the ingredients list. If you can’t get the spud they suggest, ask your greengrocer for a suitable alternative.

Basically there are waxy and floury varieties plus good-all-rounders (our favourites) like desiree. Waxy potatoes are best for salads because they really hold their shape after cooking for example, while floury ones make the best French fries and are great for mashing.

The fresh produce department in supermarkets and many greengrocers now have signs that tell you what a particular variety of potato is best for – roasting, boiling/steaming, mashing, salads etc.

If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes and need to manage your blood glucose levels, you will know that most potatoes have a high GI. But there is no need to ban them from your dinner plate. Just enjoy a small portion as part of a balanced meal with plenty of other vegetables and some lean protein. And look for the lower GI varieties such as Almera (GI 65) and Nicola (GI 58). Psst: we understand that a low GI potato will be on the market in Australia soon so watch this space.

Cook Smart

There are lots of ways to cook potatoes and keep them healthy. Roasted in a little oil and rosemary; cut into chunky wedges, tossed with Mexican spice mix and roasted; boiled or steamed and served with a tiny knob of butter and chopped chives or parsley; mixed with mayonnaise and plain yoghurt in a potato salad; mashed with a little hot milk (that’s the secret to creamy mashed potato, with just a wee knob of butter); grated into dishes as an extra vegetable or chopped into chunks and added to casseroles and curries.

In Money Saving Meals (page 122 if you have the book) we included suggestions for topping (and making more of a meal) of jacket potatoes. Simply pile on some baked beans and a little grated cheese and you have an easy and very inexpensive meal for example. Other very economical potato recipes to try include our Creamy leek, potato and broccoli soup (page 30), our colourful Warm red cabbage and potato salad (page 73), our crispy and healthy Hash browns (page 86) or delicious Scalloped potatoes with tomatoes and feta (page 121). And of course you can’t beat our to-die-for Creamy potato bake (page 120). And here on the website you can find spuds in Moroccan lentil and vegetable pies and Emma’s Thai green chicken curry in a slow cooker and of course in Bubble and squeak!

Potatoes make great leftovers, too. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge and use within a couple of days.

Do’s and a Don’t

• Do store them in a cool, dark place, not in the fridge.
• Do leave the skin on. Yes it is true, there’s lots of goodness in the skin and just beneath it. So don’t throw it away! Scrub and cook. Even for mashing and salads it’s best to cook them skin on and then peel.
• Don’t buy potatoes that are green, sprouting or wrinkled.

Eat Smart

We asked dietitian Nicole Senior to share her secrets for having your potato and eating it:

‘The poor old potato is a much maligned food but it really doesn’t deserve all the criticism. It has been called fattening, bad for blood glucose, and generally undesirable, but this really isn’t fair. Spud lovers can relax. Potatoes are good for you. They are high in carbohydrate for energy and stimulate that feel-good brain chemical called serotonin. Eating potatoes help you feel that life is good. Potatoes are also a good source of vitamin C and fibre (especially if you eat the skin) and also contain vitamin B6 and potassium.

People often say potatoes are fattening, but this is an exaggeration. Any food containing kilojoules can be fattening if you eat too much, and carbohydrate in potatoes is no more or less fattening than kilojoules from any other source. It is sad for low-carb diets to recommend followers eat mashed cauliflower and pretend it is potato. Just enjoy a bit of both.

Eaten whole with minimal additions, potatoes are difficult to overeat due to their high ‘satiety index’. Boiled potatoes are one of the most filling foods you can eat. Potatoes cut into French fries and cooked in unhealthy fats are a different story, but don’t tar all potatoes with the same fast food brush. If you are a French-fry (hot chip) fan, then look for establishments that cook them in healthy oil, keep your portions small and skip the salt. This way, you can have your chip and eat it.

One of the things I love about the potato, apart from the gorgeous taste and texture, is how simple they are to prepare. I simply wash, cut and microwave on high until tender, and lightly dress with some extra virgin olive oil, dried rosemary and black pepper. Use whatever healthy oils, herbs and spices you like for an instant accompaniment to lean meat, chicken or fish and steamed greens. And a good tip: always cook more than you need because cooled and reheated potato contains a beneficial kind of dietary fibre called resistant starch that keeps your bowel healthy. That’s what I call potato magic.’

Nicole Senior MSc (Nut&Diet) BSc (Nut) is an Accredited Nutritionist and author of Eat to Beat Cholesterol and Heart Food containing trustworthy advice about eating well for your heart. Nicole received an Outstanding Contribution Award from the Dietitians Association of Australia in May this year. Check out her website: http://eattobeatcholesterol.com.au/.