Friday, November 4, 2011

Creamy White Bean and Vegetable Mash

I found this recipe in the most recent Whole Living magazine in an article about healthy Thanksgiving sides. Anything that uses white beans to up the creaminess ante is good in my book. And not that I was looking for any of these things, but this recipe is vegan, vegetarian and okay for those with special diets or allergies. Its also delicious.

Creamy White Bean and Vegetable Mash
Serves 6

2 T olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1-inch cubes
2 cups cooked white beans (1 16 oz can)
Coarse salt & pepper

Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Cook onion, celery and carrot until translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes and white beans and cover with water by 2 inches. Season generously with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup of liquid.

Mash vegetables, adding reserved water to get the consistency you want. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with oil before serving.

This recipe is as delicious as regular mashed potatoes, but without the extra butter and milk. I dare say its actually more flavorful because of the first step. I used my immersion blender, which I'm sure added to the creamy consistency factor. It tasted like a side dish in a nice restaurant.

For those who care, the nutrition is pretty good too. One serving has 206 calories, 5 g fat (1g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 41 g carbs, 316 mg sodium, 9 g protein, 8 g fiber.