Mashed Potatoes without the Fat and all the Flavor

I am not going to tell you to go vegan for the holidays. Nope. Not gonna do it. The holidays are all about indulging, but, at the same time, you can only over do it to a point. Am I right? Like a Real House Wives marathon, sometimes you just need to switch over CNN for a bit.

When it comes to all the cream, butter, sugar and salt available to me at Thanksgiving, I prefer to receive it in the dessert vehicle. I am a fool for dessert, meaning I need to cut some of those excess calories where I can, like in my potatoes.

Ok- before you get all, “OMG how can you ever serve mashed potatoes that are made without butter and cream? That is so, like, sacrilegious.” Hear me out. Potatoes are like shape-wear for your plate. The underpinnings that are absolutely necessary but aren’t the showstopper red carpet gown. So why waste calories there when you can get the flavor without the fat?

When moated with gravy, scooped up with a bite of turkey and cranberry sauce, these naked potatoes do the trick, saving you all the calories to indulge in a bit of salted caramel apple pie, pumpkin crème brulee, bouche de Noelle…need I go on?

Don’t forget to tune in to Miss Maki’s Simple Kitchen, Sunday, November 24th for the Ultimate Oregon Thanksgiving Show. I’ll be on the air with the PDX food bloggers posse, including my pals Lindsay of Rosemarried and Rebekah of PDX Food Love. You can tune in, or listen to the podcast, here.

Naked Potatoes with Buttah’
*Inspired by Chad Sarno’s Garlic Shallot Buttah

2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered
2 shallots, peeled and quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled
1 sprig of thyme
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
8 large russet potatoes, peeled
Kosher Salt

1.Preheat oven to 350

2.Place onions, shallots, garlic, thyme, and vegetable broth in a small oven proof skillet or roasting dish. You will be braising these vegetables, so you don’t want a dish too big, if you don’t have dish that will work, fashion a couple sheets of aluminum foil into a pouch. Seal dish, or pouch with foil and roast, in the oven for 2 hours, slow and low until vegetables are cooked through, and most if not all the vegetable broth has evaporated.

3.While the onions and garlic are roasting, place peeled potatoes in a stockpot, covered with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft enough for a fork to go through, about 20 minutes. Drain water, reserving one cup and place potatoes in a food mill, or ricer.

4.Run potatoes through food mill or ricer into a large bowl. Cover and set aside.

5.When the onions and garlic have finished roasting, remove from oven and discard thyme sprig. Place contents into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Transfer puree to bowl with mashed potatoes and stir to combine. Add potato cooking water ¼ cup at a time, stirring until potato consistency is reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm in an ovenproof dish, reheating when needed.

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