Recipe

Creamy (Dairy-Free) Mashed Potatoes

Accompanying Newsletter: How to Prevent the Flu

For rich and delicious mashed potatoes, add avocado. Just imagine, in a bite of already creamy potatoes, you teeth slipping thru a nibble of avocado...what a lovely texture and flavor contrast. My daughter and grandchildren recently visited and she rolled her eyes imagining the combination—but she and the kids cleaned up every last dab.

Commercial potatoes are one of the four vegetables highest in pesticide residues; if at all possible buy organic potatoes. The other three most chemically contaminated vegetables are celery, spinach and sweet peppers. For more details see When to Buy Organic.

You may peel the potatoes if you wish, but I prefer keeping them intact for the extra nutrients.

Serves 2

2 to 3 fist size yellow potatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon salt
1 small avocado, diced
¼ cup extra virgin olive or hemp oil
1 tablespoons dried dill or 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Squeeze lemon juice

Place the potatoes in a medium sized pot and add cold water to cover. Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook at a steady simmer until the potatoes are very tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 15-20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes but reserve the liquid. Pass through a ricer or mash with a potato masher or fork. Fold in the avocado, oil, dill, pepper, lemon juice and adjust salt. If necessary, gently mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons reserved potato cooking water for desired consistency. Serve immediately.

Variation: Thank you Chef Phyllis Segura from Piermont NY who alerted me to yet another variation for dairy-free mashed potatoes. Chef Segura wrote: "Yes avocado works well. So do Jerusalem artichokes. Peel them and boil with the potatoes for a really creamy dish. Also, if you puree Jerusalem artichokes into a soup, they’ll yield a buttery flavor."

May you be well nourished,

Rebecca Wood