Want a healthier, funkier update to regular mashed potatoes?? Try mixing purple potatoes with cauliflower! You get the same comforting bite and texture with far less starch and much more nutritive value! WIN!
Purple Potatoes are an excellent alternative to typical white or yellow fleshed potatoes. Purple Potatoes are rich in Antioxidant Phytochemicals. In 2012 a study was presented at the American Chemical Society National Meeting that found that eating these potatoes lowered the blood pressure of the subjects who ate them. More than likely due to the therapeutic effect they have on the capillaries and blood vessels and the purple potato’s high concentration of another phytochemical called chlorogenic acid which has been linked to lower blood pressure in mice.
Potatoes, because they are starchy are typically associated with weight gain and get a bad rap as a “forbidden food” to many diets. So it will no doubt surprise you to learn that consuming six to eight small purple potatoes per day not only can lower your blood pressure but also cause no weight gain at all! Plus they are quite tasty! Having a slightly nutty flavor and a creamier texture than traditional potatoes. They make a fresh alternative for holiday meals or any meal that includes potatoes.
I personally LOVE potatoes, but in an effort to reduce the starch in my diet I have experimented with potato substitutes. Cauliflower is one of my favorite go to vegetables to make a mash with that is potato worthy. But then I saw these purple potatoes in the market and when I looked them up I was more than intrigued. You can do anything with them you would do with a regular potato; bake them, fry them, boil them, mash them… it’s all good. They have a nuttier flavor that their potato cousins. But very satisfying. When you boil and mash them they can be quite dark. I like to lighten them up with some cauliflower. It’s like painting with food… if the purple is too dark, add some white to it to make lavender!
I boil my fresh cauliflower right along with the whole unpeeled purple potatoes. Once everybody is fork tender, I fish them out of the pot into my Ninja with a pasta spider — or you could drain them the traditional way. I made an extra large batch so we could have some for dinner and I could freeze some for future use. This made it necessary to process about half of it down before adding in the remaining florets and potatoes to the blender. I used a splash or so of Almond Milk to thin them in the processor.
Once the mixture is the right smoothness I transfer it to a mixing bowl that will double as a serving bowl to season it with butter, salt, pepper and a nice dose fo roasted garlic powder. Just stir it all up and it is ready to serve. If your feeling fancy, garnish the taters with some finely chopped green onion tops. That pop of bright green against the purple is really pretty!
- 1 Head Cauliflower, washed and broken into florets
- 1 bag Purple potatoes, washed
- Almond Milk
- Earth Balance or Unsalted Butter
- Roasted Garlic Powder
- Sea Salt
- Cracked Black Pepper
- Wash the potatoes and put them in a big pot of salted water whole.
- Wash the head of cauliflower and break it into florets, add it to the water with the potatoes.
- Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes and cauliflower are fork tender.
- Drain the water and transfer the potatoes and cauliflower to the processor bowl. You may need to transfer half, process it down and add the other half to process smooth.
- Use a bit of almond milk to help think the mash.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl and season with butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Optional: Garnish with chives to serve.
Enjoy!
