Favorite Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes are a staple in this house. Here's how I see it: Every meal needs to be balanced, which means every meal needs a protein, a veggie and a starch. I know a lot of people say eating potatoes will make you fat, but c'mon people -- everything in moderation, right? If you exercise and watch your portion control, you'll be fit and happy. (My experience is that no one really flourishes under deprivation.)

Speaking of fit, I just completed my 5k training. Woot woot! And while I don't have a specific 5k to train for (uh, it's like winter here), I wanted to be able to run 5k with the hopes of maybe running a half-marathon in the spring or summer. We'll see...

I started running in early July, but mid-August I suffered a stress fracture of my tibia, so I had to lay off and let it heal for about 6 weeks. The reason I developed the stress fracture was because I was running every day; I loved it that much and I was increasing my mileage at whim -- not at all adhering to the 10% rule. So this time around, I wanted to do it the right way. So 9 weeks ago, I began this couch to 5k program and finished my last day on Thursday. I ran 3 miles this morning and plan to continue running three miles every morning and adding an additional day with 1 mile a week, so I can end up running 3 miles, five days a week.

I love to run. It is a major stress reliever. How? I have no idea, but when I get done running, I feel like I am on top of the world and as if I can squash problems with two fingers as they come my way. I always used to look cockeyed at those people whose faces lit up when they started talking about running and their love for it. I didn't get it. I used to think, who -- in their right and sane mind -- would willingly run and like it? I totally get it now. 

The only downside is now I get really crabby when I can't run. 

But that is usually solved with food (no food is NOT an answer to your problems), but let's admit it, sometimes food does make you feel better. But (deep, heavy sigh) a moment on the lips is a lifetime on the hips. And so the story goes.

Back to starches though, good for you, energy-boosting starches.

Sweet potatoes often take the starring role as our starch, but when she's sung one too many dinner tunes, I whip up a batch of these super simple and absolutely tasty roasted potatoes. I use Yukon gold potatoes that contain about 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein in one medium-sized potato and here's the bonus: the skin provides tons of potassium which makes our bones strong and yukon gold potatoes contain iron for healthy blood, plus vitamin C for the immune system and vitamins B-6 and niacin for a strong nervous system. And guess what? Our bodies require protein and complex carbohydrates for energy and brain function. So eat away, I say.

This takes minutes to prep and thirty minutes later, you're pulling one of the best sides out of the oven.

Favorite Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

Yukon gold potatoes, 8 or 9 medium

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a tablespoon for greasing the pan

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the sheet and spread it around with your hands. If you don't do this step, you won't be eating any potatoes because they will all be stuck to the baking sheet.

Dice the potatoes in a 2-inch dice.

(It gets dark around dinner time these days!)

Place them on the baking sheet and pour the olive oil onto the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and the using your hands mix well. When the oil and salt is covering the potatoes, separate each potato onto the baking sheet skin side down. If you don't touch the potatoes at all during their cooking time, you'll get one side that's really, really crunchy and delicious.

Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and scrape off and pour into a serving bowl. Serve immediately!

If there are any leftovers, which is seriously rare, I cut them up even smaller and use them for an egg hash the next morning. 

Now back to decorating the Christmas tree!

Nutrition Information Per One Cup Serving: Calories 244; Total Fat 9g; Total Carb 35g; Fiber 8g; Sugars 0g; Protein 6g

*Nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe calculator tool.
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