I wish people would stop hating on potatoes. Please feel free to hate on potato chips in bags (especially when they are fried in vegetable oils, as most of them are). Please feel free to hate on fries that you get at a fast food place that sizzles them in years-old-rancid vegetable oil. (Yes, you’ve detected a theme – don’t touch vegetables oils!)
But please don’t hate on the simple little root that is a potato. It’s a real food and if you don’t process the life out of it, it’s a healthy carbohydrate option. And there’s the word – carbohydrate. Carbs are our fuel source and therefore the source of blood glucose increases, something you want to be mindful of because repetitive high increases in glucose will lead you down the road to insulin resistance and type II diabetes.
How to include healthy carbs in your diet
One, choose real carbs over processed carbs – example, potatoes (all kinds) or squash instead of breads or pastas. Real carbs will come with their natural fibers which slow down the breakdown of that food into glucose and therefore prevent high sugar spikes.
Two, limit the carb portion of your meal to 1/4 your plate. When the other 1/2 of your plate are non-starch veggies and 1/4 protein, that’s a complete meal.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 – 4 small potatoes or 1 – 2 medium potatoes (to cover one baking sheet)
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh or dries rosemary (fresh is much better)
- Himalayan salt
- pepper
- onion and/or garlic powder (optional)
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash potatoes, don’t peel them, cut into chunks or thin slices (if you prefer more crispy).
- Spread evenly over baking sheet.
- Drizzle olive oil over potatoes, not too much, not too little (to be precise)
- Cut fresh rosemary to sprinkle lightly all over
- Salt and pepper and any other herbs to taste
- Bake for 15 – 30 minutes (you need to watch them to see how long it takes to get to the crispiness you like).
