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Limit Potatoes


with campus executive chef Tom Barton

Who doesn’t love a potato right? Especially here in New England where Maine is ranked 10th in potato production nationwide.

There are many varieties and colors to choose from, all having their own various health and nutritional benefits. So potatoes can definitely be good for you but sometimes we tend to eat too many which can leave us feeling a bit lethargic and overly full. I’m not suggesting we give up these tantalizing spuds but change how we think about our intake.

Perhaps putting a smaller portion of potatoes on our plates along with some fresh vegetables is something to consider with the warmer weather coming quickly. Or another idea might be to think of some alternatives to potatoes like chick pea fries!

Here’s a delicious recipe from one of my favorite websites Food52 https://food52.com/recipes/9642-chickpea-fries-with-yogurt-dipping-sauce. These are so easy to make and so tasty! The optional cumin in this recipe really gives it a special flavor.

Still have a hankering for mashed potato but want to try something different? How about mashed cauliflower or mashed celery root? Celery root is delicious and a totally under-utilized vegetable. These both lend themselves nicely to adding any herbs and spices you may have.

So give any of these alternatives a try…I think you’ll be glad you did and if you just can’t give up a spud think about having a little less of it.

-Tom

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