Potatoes!

Potatoes may not be the healthiest of the root vegetables, but certainly can provide a satisfying snack or side dish.

Garlic Chive Smashed Potatoes

Buttery, garlicky, mashed potatoes!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. red skin potatoes                               ($2.30)
• 1 cup vegetable broth                                ($0.70)
• 4 tbsp. Earth Balance buttery spread       ($0.30)
• 3 tbsp. chopped chives                             ($0.12)
• 1 medium clove garlic                                ($0.24)

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Scrub and rinse the potatoes and chop them into small pieces. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook for 30 minutes covered stirring occasionally. Drain the potatoes and add them back to the pot. Peel and mince the garlic and smash it with a pestle and mortar or the blade of a large cutting knife. Chop the chives into small pieces. Add the garlic, chives, vegetable broth, and buttery spread. Mix well to distribute the ingredients evenly. Serve with salt and pepper to taste! 

Earth Balance offers an amazing butter alternative. It tastes, looks, and even MELTS like butter! I cannot praise this product enough. They even come in different varieties: Original, Olive Oil, Soy Free, Omega 3, Soy Garden, and Organic Whipped! All are vegan, 0 grams trans fat, and certified non-GMO! 

The vegetable broth in the potatoes will give them a deep, rich flavor and add some creaminess to the texture. Inexpensive, easy, and delicious, these potatoes will 'smash' any side dish at a potluck or gathering for only $3.66! 

Baked Sweet-Potato Chips

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes            ($2.06)
• 2 tsp. thyme                             ($0.08)
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil    
• 2 tsp. garlic salt

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Scrub and rinse the sweet potatoes and cut them into thin slices. Lay them on a baking tray wrapped in aluminum foil. Drizzle some olive oil over the slices. Sprinkle the thyme and garlic salt on top. Place the chips in the oven for 10 minutes. Take them out and flip them over, adding more garlic salt and thyme. Place in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the edges become crisp and browned. You now have a delightful snack for only $2.16! 

Arrange the slices evenly to bake correctly

Crispy sweet potato chips!

Did you know?

Sweet potatoes may be the most healthy variety of potato; a one cup serving contains 4 grams dietary fiber, 2 grams protein, 377% DV Vitamin A (beta-carotene), as well as Vitamin B-6, Calcium, Magnesium, tryptophan, potassium and Vitamin C! They are also rich in complex carbs.

Sweet potatoes also have a very low glycemic index, which means they do not raise blood sugar levels. This is very important for people with Diabetes or others who monitor blood sugar. Diabetics may enjoy the sweetness of a sweet potato without worrying about needing a shot!

As with most vegetables, fruits, and roots, the skin is where most of the vitamins and minerals reside. Leaving the skin on the sweet potato will ensure the most nutrition possible. Another way to absorb the most nutrients is actually adding a small amount of oil. Beta-carotene is fat soluble so when mixed with the fat from oil, the human body absorbs is very efficiently. 

Beta-carotene also combats the free radicals within the body. This not only reduces the risk of cancer, but protects the skin from aging quickly. Expensive skin care products like retinol and retinoic acid are derived from beta-carotene; sweet potatoes are a great, inexpensive way to care for the skin! 

When the body is stressed, it requires more potassium; the high potassium content in sweet potatoes will alleviate muscle tension and soreness. 

Growing sweet potatoes is easy! Requiring only 100 days without frost or snow, these crops make a great starter for a beginner garden. There are very few diseases they are susceptible to so they require very little cultivation and pesticides. Start saving on groceries by growing your own sweet potatoes!