Is it really Thanksgiving without a savory potato dish? Potatoes seem to have a poor reputation for being unhealthy, but surprise! Sweet potatoes are actually very good for you because they are packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber. Even normal yukon gold potatoes are healthier than most think. The reason that Thanksgiving potato casseroles are given such a bad rap is because of all the extra fat, such as butter and whole milk, added into these dishes. If you eliminate those unhealthy items from the dish, you can have a treat lower in calories but still high in flavor. Let’s continue to strive for our “personal healthy” this holiday season through smart cooking! Here are two healthy potato recipes for Thanksgiving Dinner.
Garlic Mashed Potato Recipe (Serves 6)
What you will need: 1.5 lbs of Yukon gold potatoes (about 3-4 large potatoes), 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 4 garlic cloves, ¾ a cup of skim or plant-based milk, salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the garlic cloves, peeled, on a piece of foil and drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil onto the garlic. Heat your oven to 350 degrees and cook the garlic in the oven for 30 minutes.
- While your garlic is cooking, wash, peel, and chop the potatoes into cubes. Place the potatoes into a pot, cover with water (making sure the potatoes are fully submerged), and bring to a boil. Bring the heat to a simmer and cook the potatoes until tender when poked with a fork. Drain and place your potatoes back into your pot.
- Add the rest of the olive oil, milk, roasted garlic with any juices that may have formed, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Use a potato masher to mash all of the ingredients in your pot until your desired texture is achieved. Add additional milk if needed. Place into a serving bowl and enjoy.
Do you need more healthy meals to try this holiday season? Click here for 2 mouth-watering recipes by Amy Riolo, award-winning chef and author.
Sweet Potato Recipe (Serves 8)
What you need: 3 lbs of sweet potato (about 5 large potatoes), 1 egg, ⅓ cup of honey, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, ½ tablespoon of nutmeg, ¼ a cup of skim or plant-based milk, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ½ cup of chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
Optional: greek yogurt
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Wash, peel, and chop the sweet potatoes into cubes. Place the potatoes into a pot, cover with water (making sure the potatoes are fully submerged), and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until tender when poked with a fork. Drain and place your potatoes back into your pot. Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes before proceeding.
- Add the honey, vanilla extract, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the pot. Use an electric mixer and whip the ingredients until smooth. Spread the mixture out evenly onto a baking dish.
- Put the pecans, brown sugar, and some cinnamon into a bowl and mix. Sprinkle the pecan blend on top of the sweet potato spread.
- Bake until browning starts to form on the corners of the dish. This should take roughly 35 minutes.
- Once finished, let the sweet potato casserole cool for a few minutes and serve with greek yogurt on the side if desired.
Enjoy these healthy potato recipes this holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving!
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To your Joy and Health,
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This blog post was written by Bailee Richman, Dietetics Student from the University of Maryland