Q: Is there any healthier twist on a traditional dish that I can sneak onto the Thanksgiving table this year that won’t scream “light”? I won’t pretend that we won’t indulge on the holiday, but any smart recipe makeovers—especially a tasty one—would be most welcome.
A: Creamy mashed potatoes are notoriously fat-laden, thanks to copious amounts of butter and heavy cream. Not surprisingly, a typical recipe of mashed potatoes can contain upward of 280 calories and 19 grams of fat (14 of them saturated) per serving.
For our recipe for creamy mashed potatoes, our goal was to move mashed potatoes into the realm of healthier eating without sacrificing flavor and texture. We needed some butter for flavor, but found we could get away with using just 2 tablespoons. Swapping the heavy cream for a combination of 2 percent lowfat milk and lowfat sour cream also helped to drop the fat and calorie counts substantially, while still providing our mash with just the right amount of creamy richness. We managed to shave off 100 calories and 14 grams of fat—11 of them saturated—per serving, all with minimal forfeiture of flavor. We ended up with loveable, craveable creamy potatoes that would feel at place on any holiday table.
Do you have a question about healthy cooking? Email thefeed@americastestkitchen.com and it might be featured in an upcoming To Your Health.
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