Mashed Red Potatoes with Chives

Okay, I'll just fess up right now -- this is not my picture. When I made this recipe I forgot to take a picture, so I snagged this from www.cookinglight.com

This recipe was so easy that I had to post it on my blog. I had never heard of making mashed potatoes this way -- so super fast and easy. Who knew you could use a microwave to make mashed potatoes?!

I served this side dish with barbecued flank steak and a green salad.

With summer here I'd like my posts to focus on healthy side dishes and desserts. Does anyone have any low-cal/low-fat side dishes or desserts they'd like to share? Just leave the recipe in the comment section and I'll choose some of my favorites to spotlight on my blog.

Mashed Red Potatoes with Chives

1 red potato (about 1/2 pound)

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

1 1/2 tablespoons fat-free milk

1 tablespoon yogurt-based spread (such as Brummel and Brown)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh chives

1. Scrub potato; place in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl (do not pierce potato with a fork). cover bowl with plastic wrap (do not allow plastic wrap to touch food); vent. Microwave at HIGH 8 minutes or until tender.
2. Add garlic and next 5 ingredients to potatoes. Mash to desired consistency. Stir in chives. Yield: 2 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup).

Nutrition:

Calories 120; fat 4g; protein 3.0g; carb 20g; fiber 2g; chol 4mg; iron 1mg; sodium 208mg

My Notes:

1. I quadrupled this recipe since we needed more than two servings.
2. I only added 2 cloves of garlic to our quadrupled recipe, but it seemed like a little too much garlic so I might try it with less garlic next time.
3. I didn't have chives so I added a little parsley to give it the green color that it needed.

Positive thought for the day:

"I keep my mind focused on peace, harmony, health, love and abundance. Then, I can’t be

distracted by doubt, anxiety, or fear." –Edith Armstrong

(I needed this one today!)

Don't forget to leave your favorite recipe for a low-cal side dish or dessert. (Just post the recipe in the comments section.)  Over the summer I'll choose a few to spotlight on my blog!

Pita Pocket and Home-baked Fries

This is one of those meals that I always forget I can make in a pinch. I’m usually trying to figure out what I can make for dinner using ground beef and then the light bulb in my head goes on and I say “Oh, yeah, I can make pita pockets!” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had this conversation in my head. J

The whole wheat pita pockets are low in fat and a good source of fiber. I like them toasted because it brings out the nutty flavor of the wheat. I just cut the pita pocket in half and pop it in the toaster like a slice of bread.

The home-baked fries in this recipe are a family favorite at our house. Whenever I make these “fries” I always hear a big “YES!” when I pull them out of the oven. They are a very simple recipe – potatoes sprayed with Pam and sprinkled with an herb blend, then baked in the oven. They turn out crispy and a little spicy because of the herbs.

We all love fries, but the homemade version is so much healthier. Here’s a quick comparison:

Home-baked fries (56g) 52 calories; 0 fat; 1g fiber; 1g protein

Store bought frozen French fries (baked) (69g) 115 calories; 4g fat; 2g fiber; 2g protein

In-n-Out French fries (1 order) 400 calories; 18g fat; 2g fiber; 7g protein

McDonald’s French fries (small order) 209 calories; 10g fat; 2g fiber; 3g protein

Wendy’s French fries (kid’s size) 254 calories; 11g fat; 4g fiber; 3g protein

Pita Pockets

Thomas brand whole wheat pita pockets, toasted

90% lean ground beef, cooked and crumbled, drained

Fat free sour cream

Lettuce, chopped

Mexican cheese blend (optional – save about 4g of fat if you don’t use the cheese)

Directions:

Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Fill toasted pita pockets with cooked ground beef (about ¼ cup). Top the filled pockets with sour cream, lettuce, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.

Home-baked fries

6 or 7 medium sized Russet potatoes

Pam spray

Herb blend (I use a rosemary/garlic blend from Sam’s Club)

Directions:

Wash and slice the potatoes into long strips. Spray cookie sheet with Pam spray and the “fries” as well. Sprinkle with herb blend. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 400^o, or until crispy. Turn the fries over at least twice during the baking.

Pita Pocket Nutrition info (3oz ground beef, ½ pita pocket):

324 calories; 15g fat; 5g fiber; 59g protein

Home-baked fries Nutrition info (1 medium potato):

161 calories; 0g fat; 4g fiber; 4g protein

While researching the nutrition info for this recipe, I ran across this website that talks about different ways to reduce the fat when cooking ground beef:

http://www.beefnutrition.org/CMDocs/BeefNutrition/ReducingFatinCookedGroundBeef.pdf

Positive thought for the day:

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” ~ Dr. Seuss (http://www.suite101.com/content/uplifting-words-quotes-and-sayings-a116309)