Market Fresh Finds: Potatoes are packed with nutrition

One potato, two potato, three potato, four … or more! Do potatoes rock your world? Potatoes can be a part of any meal or snack just like bacon. Mmm … bacon and potatoes! Potatoes are so versatile and easy to prepare.

Potatoes have been given a bad name due to low-carb concerns, however they are full of nutrition that promotes healthy hearts. Potatoes are fat- and cholesterol-free, and the fiber content helps with digestion as well as cholesterol levels. One medium potato contains 160 calories along with daily doses of potassium, vitamin C and B6. What you add to potatoes — such as butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon — or how they are prepared, such as fried, is what makes them less healthy for you.

Potatoes are classified into three categories.

Starchy potatoes are the classic Russet or Idaho potato that are high in starch and low in moisture. The cooked potato is fluffy, dry, and mealy. When boiled, they absorb moisture easily and they will fall apart easily, which makes great fluffy mashed potatoes. They are not the best for salads or casseroles.

Waxy potatoes are low in starch and have a moist, creamy, but firm flesh that holds its shape well after heated. Red skinned and fingerlings are great for soups, casseroles, and potato salads. Other varieties include Austrian Crescent, Purple Peruvian, and Yellow Inca Gold.

All-purpose potatoes fall in between the starchy and waxy categories, having a medium amount of starch content. The classic is the Yukon gold, which is great for any kind of cooking method. Others include blue and purple varieties.

Does that mean you should always use one kind of potato for salads and another for mashed? Nope, you may prefer to use a starchy potato that gets soft in potato salad, if you like them soft or mashed. You may also add a starchy soft potato to soups as a thickener. Just knowing the differences helps you get the end results you are looking for.

Now to shop for potatoes. Potatoes should be firm and without give when squeezed. Softness is the first sign that they are going bad. They should also be smooth and plump. Wrinkles mean loss of moisture and that they were stored in warm areas.

Avoid potatoes with green skins. When exposed to light, potatoes produce solanine, which makes the potato taste bitter. If you eat large quantities of solanine, you may experience cramping, diarrhea, headaches and fever. If you see a shallow layer of green, peel it all away and you can eat the potato.

Store your potatoes in a dark, dry, cool ventilated place. Potatoes stored lower than 50 degrees will be sweeter and discolor when heated. This is because the starch will turn to sugar when cold. If you do refrigerate your potatoes, warm to room temperature before cooking to prevent the discoloration.

Consider some new ways to prepare potatoes, like roasting in the oven sprinkled with mint and black pepper, bake and cover with spiced beans, chili, or roasted veggies.

Home-preserved potatoes stay firm and are a quick, convenient way to add to soups and casseroles. Check out the preservation methods in the WSU Extension Canning Vegetables booklet.

For additional potato recipes, check out Chef Scotty’s Market Fresh Recipes at http://extension.wsu.edu/clark/?p=8163. The FINI Fresh Match program provides help to SNAP consumers to purchase more fruits and vegetables at local farmers markets. Find out more at www.clark.wa.gov/public-health/snap-farmers-markets.

Sandra Brown, WSU Faculty Emeritus, is a Clark County WSU Extension master food preserver. For additional recipes, food preservation and food safety information visit http://extension.wsu.edu/clark/?p=1134 Have questions? Call MFP Helpline: 360-397-6060 ext. 5366 or join Facebook discussion group “WSU Home Food Preservers – Clark County.”