Skip to content
BY AMANDA
Carbs get a bad wrap. True, a bag of potato chips or a giant bowl of pasta on the regular doesn’t do us any favors. But good carbs in moderation are a necessary ingredient to a healthy diet.
I’ve made the mistake myself – you know, trying to eliminate carbs in efforts to be healthier and lose weight, but soon found myself wondering why I was so tired and lacking energy. Hmm, well a nice car won’t get you anywhere without gas in the tank, right? Our bodies are similar. Good carbs in their natural, unprocessed form like fruit, vegetables, potatoes, nuts, and whole grains give us the necessary fuel to work out longer, sustain energy, and thrive.
Potatoes sometimes fall casualty to the “carbs = bad” facade. But it’s not the potatoes themselves that are bad. It’s what we do with them. Think: french fries, (over)loaded baked potato, a giant bag of salty, addictive potato chips, sweet potatoes swimming in a sea of gooey marshmallow and brown sugar, etc. You get the picture.
But when used for good, potatoes are a nutrient and antioxidant-rich carbohydrate, loaded with potassium (more than a banana!), B6, fiber, and Vitamin C, and more. Potassium is crucial for exercise recovery, replacing the potassium our body sweats out while working out.
Fuel up with this garlic-rosemary smasher recipe, using only five ingredients: baby potatoes, garlic, rosemary, olive oil, and salt.
GARLIC ROSEMARY SMASHED POTATOES
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 lb bag baby potatoes (klondike gourmet mini yellow potatoes taste great)
- Extra virgin olive oil (about 3 tablespoons)
- Two cloves garlic, minced
- 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary, rough chopped
- Coarse kosher or sea salt (1 - 1 ½ teaspoon)
TO GET THE GOODS
- Boil potatoes in a pot of water until soft enough to poke with a fork, but be sure not to overcook.
- Let potatoes cool, then place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Smash each potato with the palm of your hand, just enough to crack it open and flatten. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450° F.
- Sprinkle potatoes with the minced garlic, rosemary, and sea salt.
- Drizzle potatoes generously with olive oil to coat. You can also gently tilt the pan side to side to spread the oil beneath the potatoes.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. I like to hit them with the broiler for a minute or two after to get them nice and crispy (careful to not burn the garlic, though).
- Sprinkle a bit more sea salt and garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary to add a pop of color to your dish when serving. Enjoy.
