Category Archives for Potatoes
Potato Salad
This is great tasting potato salad with no tofu taste. The highlight for me is the crunch of the celery, pickles and red pepper in the ‘mayo’. Since people like all sorts of variations, use this as a basis for your own and modify as desired!
Potato Chips – Fat Free Guilt Free
Prior to starting this plant-based diet I would eat an entire bag of potato chips at least once a week – salt and vinegar or all dressed mostly, and sometimes with chip dip. I would have stomach aches and feel bloated even when I went to bed at night. But I kept doing it.
I recently decided to give making potato chips a try. The first time I soaked the sliced potatoes in vinegar for hours and then baked them. They weren’t that great. I think they were sliced too thin for one.
This time I found a way to microwave them and they get super crunchy. If you’re worried about the safety of microwaves check out this newsletter by Dr. McDougall.
Update: I now use Top Chips trays stacked in 2 layers without flipping.
Wash a potato and slice it think using a knife or I use a mandoline slicer. The thickness is up to you but mine are about 1/8″ thick. I don’t like them too thin but if you like that you could go as thin as you want which would require the mandoline. I encourage improvisation and trial and error here to find a thickness you like.
I tried mixing the slices with spices in a bowl but most of the potatoes stick together so they don’t get covered. So I’d put a piece of parchment paper on top of the microwave plate and lay the slices out first. Note: I now use two stacked Top Trays. Then put the spices on – premix the spices in a cup or shaker and then sprinkle on each slice.
The microwaving times will vary depending on your microwave and size of potato. Microwave for 6 minutes on one side, then flip the slices over, sprinkle on more spices and microwave in 1 minute increments. When they start to brown watch carefully – you want crunchiness but not overcooked. Roughly 6 minutes on first side and 6 minutes on other side but don’t leave unattended!
I’ve been also eating these spiced or plain with my ranch dip.
Ingredients (many variations of spices can be used)
One medium potato (any kind – I use yellow-fleshed)
1 tbsp Chili powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Paprika
1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to heat preference)
1 tsp Salt (optional, whatever kind you prefer)
Instructions:
Cut potato into thin slices (1/8″) – thinner or thicker as preferred. Put parchment paper on microwave plate (mine is built-in glass plate) and lay slices on. Mix spices and sprinkle on each potato. Microwave for 6 minutes on one side. Flip slices over and microwave in 1 min intervals until very crunch – do test bites along the way). Could be 5-6 minutes on the second side. So I put 6 minutes in and then pause at various intervals to check. Make sure not to overcook and burn, watching the 2nd half of the cooking carefully. Very time consuming!
Something I’m looking into getting is a microwave chip holder so no flipping will be required and will probably cook faster.
Another option is to soak the slices in malt vinegar for a few hours and then do the same thing with some optional salt sprinkled on the chips. Since I couldn’t wait I made these once and spritzed on some vinegar as I ate them which wasn’t bad. Or you could get some of the Gourmet Fries Seasonings.
My latest method:
Method if you don’t have Top Chips Trays, using parchment paper:
Low Fat Mashed Potatoes – No Milk/Butter Needed
Ingredients:
-8-10 medium potatoes, yellow-fleshed is my preference (more or less depending on how much you want – enough to fill a cutting board)
-1 tsp Onion Powder
-1 tsp Garlic Powder
Instructions:
Wash the potatoes. I don’t usually peel them. Cut the potatoes into chunks. Boil them until they break apart quite easily, with a fork then mash them with no added milk or butter (even vegan versions). Put into a bowl and add the spices. I use an electric hand mixer. Start on the slow setting then speed up as the potatoes get blended and creamy.
My favourite is yellow fleshed potatoes – so creamy without any added non-dairy milk or fake butter. But you can add some of the water from the potatoes or non-dairy milk as well. I use onion and garlic powder so I don’t have to fry anything as I make it so often. I add my no fat vegan brown gravy to these.
Suggested items mentioned in the video, other than the potatoes (from Amazon):
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Large Pot for boiling potatoes
Metal Strainer
Hand Mixer
Large Plastic Containers for leftovers
Crispy Herb Fries
This is Bonnie’s idea. She made this today so I had to make myself a batch as well!
Ingredients:
4-5 medium potatoes
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Italian herb seasoning (oregano/basil) – use more to coat the fries as desired
1 tsp (or more) of dill weed
1 tsp Lawry’s seasoning salt (optional)
Wash 4-5 medium potatoes and cut into strips, enough to cover a long baking tray. Put fries into a bowl and mix with the spices above so everything is coated. The spices will stick to the potatoes since they are a bit wet inside and starchy. Bake at 450 degrees F on a non-stick baking mat no oil or spray for half an hour or more until browning and crispy. If you use parchment paper instead watch the max temperature allowed on the package. I do up to 40 minutes many times to get them really crispy. Cut the potatoes thinner for more crisp fries. It’s possible to get crispier fries by boiling the potatoes a bit first, but who has the time? 🙂
Eat with ketchup and/or no fat brown gravy. If you want veggie burger ideas check out Jeff Novick’s Burger and Fries DVD.