Healthy Banga's n Mash?...

There is something about winter arriving that makes us all want to snuggle up and get into all our comfort habits; hot chocolate, trackies, couch and of course, somewhere in there is the yummy and creamy good ol' mashed potato!

I was doing a radio spot yesterday on Noosa Community radio with the lovely Tania Nash, and one of her biggest winter dilemma's to deal with was the overwhelming draw to a big bowl of the mashed tato. Quite funny really I thought, as all in all, from a nutritional perspective, it ain't that bad!

But then, the way I make mashed potato, of course, ain't that bad! When my partner fittingly decided last night that he would indeed love bangers n mash, it got me thinking about the make-over version of this incredibly familiar "dinner table feature".

You see, when bangers and mash is served in our household, yes it is our comfort dish, yet I must admit, really it is a "good naughty" (as I like to call healthier versions of traditionally over the top foods).

Before me however, there was a time when Brad's version of this dish would quite simple have been cholesterol heaven. He loves mashed potato made with butter, cream, did I mention butter and cream?

Being 13kg overweight and sporting high blood pressure at 23, when I met him, meant that this version of tato mash quite simply was tugging at his heart strings!

So last night when Brad decided gleefully he was having mashed potato, then just as quickly realised he did not have his star ingredients (we keep neither in the house), his face quickly fell into disappointment.

"It's ok!" I exclaimed. "I know how to make yummy, low fat mashed potato!"

I wont say he jumped up and down with excitement at this statement, however he was willing to listen to my suggestion as he knows from past experience that occasionally I have good ones!

So, did he like my suggestion?

Well, the meal was such a hit I would LOVE to have taken a photo for you and shared the love, however before I could say, "Let's take a photo", Brad had polished off half the plate! "We have success!" :)

For Tania, and for so many out there who simply love good ol' BnM, but also have a desire to look after their heart, waist's and overall health, here is the healthy and INCREDIBLY TASTY version of an all time favourite!

Healthy Banga's n Mash

Ingredients
-your choice of potato's
-Vegeta vegetable stock
-skim milk
-salt and pepper to season (more pepper, less salt)
-minced garlic (fresh or jar)

-Peppercorn Extra Lean Beef Chipolata's (or any other type of lean sausage you like)
Brad likes Peppercorn varieties, me, I'm a Kanga Banga girl :)

Method-
-boil peeled and quartered potato's in water with appropriate amount of Vegeta stock added, until soft

-meanwhile, line your chosen fry pan with baking paper- being sure that there is no chance of the paper being set alight by any of the surrounding flames! :)

-cook sausages according to packet directions. We do ours on a med heat, and use a combination of covering with a lid, to cook through and succulently :) Cooking without oil takes practice- especially in the art of producing tender meats!

-while the sausages and potato's are cooking, assemble on half of your plate a fresh salad, or else prepare some steamed vegies like broccoli, carrots, squash or zucchini, mushroom and pumpkin, or sprouts, beans and capsicum.

Brad loves a fresh salad rain, hail or shine, so I piled half his plate with fresh salad leaves, a market fresh Russian tomato, red and spring onion, as well as half a creamy avocado. Yum!

There was a time Brad would have turned his nose up at ALL of this (he even mentioned that last night!). He is even surprised that now he LOVES all of these food items and LOOKS forward to eating them! He too now cannot see a meal as complete without the salad or veg component! Impressive! (for an ex-bacon, cream, fried, cheese, butter, etc lover!) :)

-once the potato's are cooked through, drain liquid, retaining just a small amount, mash well with a fork and add the tiniest amount of skim milk, a teaspoon, or more of minced garlic and season with a tiny amount of salt and as much pepper as you like :) Keep mashing until they are silky smooth and ultra delicious!

-your sausages should be about done by now, so assemble all on your plate and ENJOY! :)

There are many ways to make this meal increasingly more healthy- for instance using sweet potato in place of regular potato; keeping the skin ON when you mash and having FISH instead of red meat....but, there you go!

There is a way to have a good old favourite in a way that LOVES your body back :)

To a cosy winter! :)

Mwah! xoxoxo

BridgetJane
Food Body Lifestyle Guru
www.newleafnutrition.com.au
0421332243

What about French Fries?

To WHITE POTATO, or not WHITE POTATO- That is the question :)

(this article taken from http://www.newleafnutrition.com.au/page/41415/default.asp)

In response to Jeremy’s question re French fries, and to give some answers on the commonly asked question re WHITE potato, here’s a little more info:

It is the COMBINATION of foods eaten at any one time that determines how your body metabolises what you feed it and ultimately the impact that then has on your body.

Let me explain. If you eat a classified “High Glycemic Index” carbohydrate food (e.g. white potato) and you COMBINE it with a source of FIBRE (vegies), healthy WHOLE FOOD fats (e.g. avocado), or even a source of good protein (e.g. egg, lentils/beans, lean chicken, fish-tinned or fresh, etc), then the response in your body will be QUITE different compared to if you simply ate the high GI food on its own.

If, for example, you sit down to a meal of MASHED potato, depending on your current physiology (determined by your weight, health, gender, genetics, etc), your body might:

Rapidly digest the carbohydrates in the mashed (a form of PROCESSING) potato, leading to a HIGH insulin response, which in turn leads to a rapid uptake of the released sugar into the cells leaving your blood sugars LOW soon after eating

Result? Low blood sugars can trigger cravings, low moods, etc which may lead to after dinner nibblies... The high insulin response also encourages your body to STORE the excess energy that has come in which your body has no immediate need for (unless you have just exercise, are about to exercise, or are having for lunch in which case you may use the energy throughout the afternoon)

However, if you take the potato (a small-medium sized one) and bake it WHOLE in its skin (source of FIBRE), and serve it with low fat natural yoghurt and low fat cheese (both sources of PROTEIN), then your body may:

Slowly breakdown the carbohydrate in the potato, leading to a slow and steady release of sugars in the blood stream, which leads to a lower (normal) insulin response and greater fat burning potential

Result? You are satisfied for longer and more likely to tap into fat stores (IF you need to lose weight that is AND if your overall daily calorie intake is BELOW your requirements :) )
If this sounds complicated and confusing then you know why I always prefer to deal one on one with clients. There are just WAY to many things about you that make you incredibly UNIQUE :)

Ok!

So bottom line on the ‘Tato:

Eat a small-medium size one only (unless you are having a baked potato as the MAIN meal)

Keep SKIN ON (FIBRE)- mmm crispy! :)

Add minimal FATS – preferably NO butter, oil, sour-cream, mayo, full fat cheese, etc, unless you are adding a SMALL amount of a WHOLE food fat (e.g. avocado)

Serve with an EXTRA source of fibre (additional vegies-; a low fat coleslaw is an awesome compliment to a baked ‘Tato! Quick and easy too! Simply buy pre-shredded cabbage mix from supermarket; add low fat natural yoghurt and low fat mayo. Done! Yum!)

Add a good source of PROTEIN to complete the meal- skinless lean chicken breast, game meat, lentils/beans, low fat natural yoghurt and/or low fat cheese (small amount!)

Go for VARIETY! If you currently eat potato 5-7 days a week, mix it up! Introduce sweet potato, cobs of corn, or other nutrient-rich grain options to the evening meal (e.g. quinnoa, brown rice)

Oh! And re French fries, Jeremy, remember that to make these “tasty” (not to me anymore! haha) products they are cooked in OILS which thin strips of potato soak up like a sponge! Also, many of the common fats in deep fryers are “trans fats” which are INCREDIBLY dangerous to your health. They have been linked to heart disease, diabetes and many other HEART/HEALTH afflictions.

You can read more about Trans Fats at the Heart Foundation website.

Ok! So that’s me!

Over and out, until next time!

Mwah!

BridgetJane

Food Body Lifestyle Guru

Writer, Speaker, Consultant
www.newleafnutrition.com.au
bridget@newleafnutrition.com.au

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