In Defense of Potatoes (Plus, 12 Potato Recipes)

A few weeks ago, in a post entitled How to Buy the USDA-Recommended 4.5 Cups of Fruits and Vegetables for $2.50 Per Day, I argued against buying corn, lettuce, and potatoes in favor of other vegetables. Also, I may have written the following:

Among the produce counted towards the $2.50 total are 
white potatoes and corn, starchy vegetables not exactly known 
for being powerhouses of vitamins and minerals.

and

Though tasty and inexpensive, 
potatoes are somewhat lacking in the nutrient department.

Several readers called me out on the statements, and rightfully so. Looking back, I gave short shrift to spuds, which are actually quite healthy when not drenched in oil and deep fried. Somewhere, my Irish ancestors are looking down from the heavens, flipping birds and cursing the anti-tater dummy they unknowingly begat – the one who so callously dissed the very calorie-dense food that sustained them through generations of largely absent nutrition. Yep - the very same edible that’s lack drove them clear to another country, if they were lucky enough not to die of starvation first.

In penance, I would like to prove conclusively that potatoes are better than me. Defending spuds will be Liz Conant of the United States Potato Board, a lovely organization dedicated to the advancement of potatoes in American culture. Defending me will be me.

To accomplish this, I've set up a comparative chart, pitting our most prominent qualities against each other in a tater/blogger battle for the ages. Specific criteria are listed in the first column. Liz's answers are in the second column, and mine are in the third. The winner of each is proclaimed in the fourth and final column, and the quantitative victor is named at the end. You have to click on it to read. (Sorry 'bout that.)

As you can see, Liz housed me. Potatoes clearly win Battle CHG, and as such, I rescind my former anti-spud statements. In fact, here are 12 potato recipes to make it up to you:

Baked Loaded Potato Skins
Chili-Spiced Potatoes
Chorizo and Potato Fritata
Dijon Roasted Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Sour Cream
Meatless Shepherd's Pie
Miso Mashed Potatoes
Pasta with Lemon, Potatoes, and Cannellini
Potato Gnocchi
Potato Leek Soup with Kale
Potato Salad for Rainy Day People
Roasted Red Potatoes

For more information on the potato and its nutritive qualities (which are manifest, I promise), head over to the U.S. Potato Board's website.

Readers, how do you feel about potatoes? When and where do you buy them on sale? What are your favorite potato recipes? Have you ever gone face to face with a potato and lost? Please fire away in the comment section. Oh, and Happy St. Patty's Day!

~~~

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