I recently rediscovered potatoes at my local organic farm market.
It’s a bit ironic because eating potatoes has never appealed to me. I don’t enjoy eating French fries (or frites), mashed potatoes, or even the classic Russet variety “baked potato”.
This is likely because I have carbohydrate intolerance. I am unable to tolerate grains of any kind, including rice (of which I ate copious amounts throughout my childhood) and/or other sources of starchy carbohydrates (think bread, pasta, pizza, etc.). In the past, the main symptoms I experienced after eating starchy carbohydrates was brain fog and extreme fatigue….I literally could not keep my eyes open!
Last fall, however, I began to occasionally introduce a very small portion (apx. 1/4 cup) of starchy whole food carbs with my meals, mainly in the form of root vegetables, sweet potatoes and potatoes.
These organic, red-skinned potatoes are lower in starch than a typical potato, and the flesh has a firm and dense, yet moist, quality to it. Best of all, red potatoes are amenable to steaming, and it only takes about 11 minutes for the potatoes to cook through—compared to 45 minutes to 1 hour to roast or bake.
As a home-cooked whole food—eaten judiciously—organic red potatoes can be a nutrient-dense food. The thin red skins are a good source of fiber, vitamin C; B vitamins, including B6, niacin and folate, as well as minerals, such as potassium and magnesium, that help regulate blood pressure.
I love the simple, unadulterated taste of steamed potatoes. You really taste the essence of the potato—without a lot of “stuff”, like butter, cream or sauces, masking its true flavor.
Steamed Organic Red Potatoes
1 to 1-1/2 pounds organic red potatoes, rinsed well and patted dry
Celtic sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Keep the skin ON! Slice potatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds; stack the rounds, then dice. Place diced potatoes in bowl and set aside.
Add 2 cups of water to a 3- to 5-quart Dutch oven. Cover and bring water to a boil. Remove lid and insert a collapsible vegetable steamer. Place diced red potatoes in steamer and arrange so that they are evenly distributed.
Cover Dutch oven and steam potatoes over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.
Uncover. Stir potatoes once or twice. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam potatoes approximately 8 minutes, or until a knife slides easily in and out of the potatoes.
Season, to taste, with Celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!
Optional:
–Sprinkle thinly sliced scallion rounds or minced garlic chives over the red potatoes.
–Toss steamed potatoes with 2 tablespoons of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of crumbled, dried oregano for more of a Mediterranean flavor.
