Recipe Makeover #4:
Creamy Mashed Potatoes


Dear Howard: I have become a fan of creamy mashed potatoes due to numerous parties I have gone to recently where this delicious dish was served. How can I make this healthier or where can I purchase a healthy brand of mashed potatoes that still tastes creamy?
-C Carol

Mashed potatoes are a favorite at parties and pot-luck dinners.  Potatoes are a healthy food on their own, but unfortunately all the added ingredients make mashed potatoes much higher in calories and saturated fats. Here is a makeover that you can prepare at home, take with you and enjoy guilt-free without losing out on the creamy texture or good taste.

Original Recipe

6 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into one-inch cubes
1 onion chopped
2 stalks celery
12 cloves garlic, peeled
2-4 tbsp chopped, fresh basil
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
Pepper

Makeover

6 baking potatoes, peeled, and cut into one-inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, cut in half
12 cloves garlic, peeled
2-4 tbsp chopped, fresh basil
3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 tsp salt
Pepper


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine first five ingredients in a large pot, add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain. Remove and discard celery. Mash potatoes with garlic cloves. Mix cottage cheese and buttermilk at high speed until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides. Add cottage cheese mix to mashed potatoes and blend well. Stir in basil, salt, and pepper. Spray large casserole dish, add mashed potatoes, and bake until heated through (about 15 minutes).
Serve immediately.

This makeover lowers the calories and fats while keeping the flavor. While the original recipe had 520 calories per serving and 49% fat, the new recipe has 230 calories per serving and only 2% fat.
Now you can enjoy mashed potatoes guilt-free.

Got a favorite dish you’d like me to makeover? E-mail me and I’ll have a go at it!