It seems we are doing a series on the night shade family since potatoes fall into the same family (eggplant as well as peppers have also been night shades). Potatoes originated in South America and were taken to Europe by early explorers, however it did take a while to popularize it among Europeans. Most people either thought it was poisonous or caused leprosy (thank goodness that isn’t actually true). It wasn’t until a genius frenchman decided to mash them up allowing everyone to fall in love with them (of course). Today everyone (at least I hope so) loves potatoes and while they are usually cooked with various fatty foods if you take those away you are left with a healthy vegetable. Potatoes are a good source of potassium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6. You may not know this but Vitamin B6 helps build your cells, as well as sustain brain cell and nervous system activity, it protects your cardiovascular system, and it’s a key player in athletic performance and endurance. I don’t know about you but that makes me want to go eat some mashed potatoes. If you want some more ideas for what to eat potatoes with here are some flavor affinities from the trusted Flavor Bible:
- potatoes + bacon + cheese + onions
- potatoes + chives + sour cream
- potatoes + leeks + nutmeg
- potatoes + Gruyere cheese + winter squash
- potatoes + cream + leeks + oysters
- potatoes + cream + garlic + parmesan cheese + rosemary
(okay so maybe not the healthiest recipes… )
Did you miss Mahabuba Akhter’s cooking demonstration? click below for all of her recipes!
source: World’s Healthiest Foods