quick "roasted" potatoes

For some reason I like to have 3 different foods on my dinner plate. Meat, vegetables, and…I always struggle with that third one. Potatoes seem to be my go-to these days.

They are relatively cheap, they last long in storage and they taste so good! Sometimes I am fancy and make sweet potato fries, but usually we just eat plain, old potatoes.

I cut them into circles, fries, halves, quarters, little moons. I try to mix it up. I cook them in butter, duck fat, lard, or chicken fat. I sprinkle it with salt and pepper and add a little parsley or rosemary for added flavor and color.

Are potatoes healthy? It depends. For many years, potatoes have had a bad reputation because they are a starchy food and people claim that they offer empty calories. They also contain glycoalkaloids, which are natural toxins made by nightshade plants. They protect the plants from insects, predators, fungi etc. Some people are sensitive to glycoalkaloids - especially those with autoimmune disorders. Some people experience digestive issues and leaky gut.

As always, you have to listen to your body and see how you respond to potatoes. Keeping a food diary is a good idea if you often suffer from digestive issues.

So the good news…potatoes are actually healthy and offer some wonderful micronutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, mangnese, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin B3, vitamin B9, copper, and iron. They also have resistant starch, which is similar to fiber in that it passes through the digestive system undigested and feeds healthy bacteria.

One point I must make is that it is important to buy organic potatoes. Potatoes are on the Environmental Working Group, Dirty Dozen list. This is a list of 12 fruits and vegetables that have the most pesticides. If you can, it is a good idea to buy organic potatoes. Click here for a comprehensive list of fruits and veggies with high pesticides.

It is easy to make potatoes and so many options. The only issue is timing. It does take time to cook these yummy little bites. Raw potatoes do not taste good. So here is a trick I learned from my Mom, and then adapted to make them taste more “roasted".

This recipe is so easy because you really don’t have to measure anything. Just estimate and make enough for your family and then some for breakfast leftovers…homefries and eggs in the morning!

Quick “Roasted” Potatoes

1. Potatoes of choice (enough for everyone to enjoy) (yukon gold, fingerling, red gold etc.)

2. Cut up potatoes into halves or quarters depending on how large the potato is. It takes longer to cook larger cuts of potatoes so if you are rushed for time, cut them smaller)

3. Put them into a pot of water on the stove. Heat them on high heat until boiling. Boil for a while until they are soft. (test it with a fork)

4. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and then place them on either a rimmed baking sheet or a baking pan (it must have rims). Cover the potatoes with sea salt, pepper, parsley or rosemary, and a fat of choice. Olive oil, avocado oil, duck fat, chicken fat, butter, lard, anything will do.

5. Roast at 350° until golden.

6. Enjoy!