You might have heard that white potatoes are terrible for you. Different facets of the health industry have told us that certain foods are “good” and certain foods are “bad." There is a misconception about potatoes that says they’re bad for blood sugar, have zero nutritional value, and are basically the worst thing you can ever think to put in your body — except white bread (or bread at all, for that matter).
Spoiler alert, friends: THERE ARE NO BAD FOODS.
Just like there are no bad babies or bad colors or bad haircuts.
Okay, just kidding. There are totally bad haircuts.
But food isn’t moral, and therefore, it’s not bad. If we are looking at how food makes us feel in our own individual bodies, then we can determine what works for us and what doesn’t. For example, my body feels like shit when I eat wheat. My nursing baby reacts terribly to it, as well. My son vomits to shock when he eats it. Therefore, wheat is a no-go in our family. It is not a demon food, and there are more people than not whose bodies recognize it as nourishing fuel.
The same thing goes for the humble potato. And speaking as the official representative for a food allergy family, it’s actually a meal saver. It’s full of trace minerals and prebiotics. It provides easy-to-burn energy for humans. It might not be the trendiest food on the the scene, but it is one of the most versatile and satisfying when cooked correctly.
Because of my family’s special food needs, I am always looking for ways to make potatoes in ways that accommodate everyone’s requirements and also make my own mouth happy. I’m a crispy food junky, and potatoes are easy to manipulate to create a variety of flavors, textures, and taste experiences.
This week, I made roasted potatoes, then smashed them and threw them in the skillet with a little butter and oil. They turned out just as fabulously as you might expect, and I served them with my favorite Chimichurri sauce. The potatoes were devoured in minutes.
Ingredients:
1 lb small potatoes
Olive oil
Salt
Butter
Directions:
Stab your potatoes. Go ahead and take out your barely contained aggression towards the garbage people in the world and stab those potatoes. You’re already off to a great start. Rub them down with oil and a little sea salt, then pop them on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
Once potatoes are soft to the touch, remove from oven. Use the bottom of a plate or bowl to smash them into little patties.
Heat oil and butter in a skillet on medium heat. Fry up those smashed potatoes, and get them nice and crispy on each side.
Pro Tip: The key to getting a good sear on meat and veggies is to leave them the hell alone. Don’t move them around, don’t lift them up and check. Maintaining an uninterrupted heat flow is what creates that caramelization that all the kids are raving about these days.
Flip after about 5 minutes, and sear the other side. Serve while hot. Drizzle some tasty Chimichurri sauce or a little garlic butter over them and enjoy!
