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You may not think there are healthy ways to eat potatoes, and we know why. We’re used to eating them as high-fat and high-calorie french fries or chips. If we don’t fry them, we often load them up with butter, cheese, and bacon. But none of these are the potato’s fault. It turns out, there are lots alternative delicious and healthy ways to eat potatoes.

Potatoes are a great source of vitamins, nutrients, and carbs. They are also filling, satisfying and typically inexpensive. And, on our Noom weight loss app, they can sometimes be a “green” food!  Here are eight delicious and healthy ways we like to eat potatoes.

White potatoes baked in the oven

We love a good baked potato with a crispy skin and a warm and steamy middle, don’t you?

We make baked potatoes in batches. First, we wash them and dry them completely. Then, we cover them with a small amount of olive oil spray before sprinkling with kosher salt and black pepper.

Next, we place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for an hour, turning them about halfway through. We like to top our baked potatoes with light sour cream and a teaspoon of real bacon bits. Other lower-calorie options include chives, green onions, broccoli, light ranch dressing, and chili.

PIN FOR LATER

Sweet potato fries in the air fryer

Have you gotten into the air fryer craze? We just got an air fryer and the first thing we made in it was sweet potato fries and they were delicious.

They turned out great and didn’t take long at all. We just cut a sweet potato in long strips and soaked them in cold water for about 30 minutes. Then we dried them thoroughly, sprayed them with a little olive oil spray and laid them flat on the air fryer mesh pan. We cooked them at 400 for about 20 minutes. When they were hot and crisp, we removed them from the oven and served with a sprinkling of sea salt.

A new healthy way to eat potatoes – sliced and grilled

This summer, we discovered a new healthy way to eat potatoes – sliced and grilled. They pair really well with a good burger and beer, especially on a hot summer day.

This is definitely one of our favorite healthy ways to eat potatoes! We just slice a white potato in thin slices with our Pampered Chef mandolin (available through our friend, Kay HERE). Then, to par cook the potatoes just a bit, we steam them in the microwave for a few minutes. Next, we drain any water and give them a few minutes to release the steam and dry out. Then, we place them on a grill pan that has been sprayed with olive oil and spread them out so they’re not all piled up.

Finally, we sprinkle them with our favorite Krizman’s Garlic Dynamite seasoning that we picked up on our visit to Kansas City, Kansas, and cook them on medium heat. We flip them over a few times so they crisp on both sides. If you make these potatoes, be sure to stay near the grill and watch them closely. They take a few minutes to get going, but once they are heated through, they cook quickly and can easily burn.

Baked sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin C and vitamin B6 and are also a good source of potassium and magnesium. Our friend and fellow Noom-nerd, Emily, taught us how to make the perfect baked sweet potato. She said to wash the potato well and stab it with a knife a whole bunch of times. Then, just put it on a baking sheet and bake it at 450 degrees for about an hour (though you can also bake them at 425 with the regular potatoes).

Done this way, the sweet potatoes come out perfectly every time. They have a crispy skin and are hot and steamy on the inside. Ann likes to eat baked sweet potatoes topped with one packet of Splenda and a little bit of cinnamon. They are wonderful when served with grilled salmon, pork loin, or even a bit plate of vegetables.

Healthy ways to eat potatoes – Roasted fingerlings

Roasted fingerling potatoes are quick and easy and add beautiful colors to your plate. We get small bags of multicolored fingerlings potatoes and simply halve them (the long way) before roasting them in the oven.

These potatoes are rich and have a creamy texture. Even better, they add a little variety to your menu when you’re tired of plain russets. And it’s easy to find healthy ways to eat these potatoes. We just cut them in half, coat with a little olive oil spray, and then season with salt and pepper. Roast your fingerling potatoes on a baking sheet in the oven for 20-30 minutes until they appear crispy on the outside and are heated through. They make a great side dish with dinner and you can even enjoy the leftovers with your eggs the next morning.

Diced sweet potatoes with vegetables

Another healthy way to eat sweet potatoes is diced and roasted with your favorite veggies. We’ve enjoyed them with Brussels sprouts, red onions and topped with salt and pepper or a little balsamic vinegar.

For this dish, we just peeled and diced a sweet potato (although you could certainly leave the skin on). Then, we tossed it with just a touch (teaspoon or less) of olive oil together with the halved Brussels sprouts and diced red onion. We roasted everything on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until tender. Sometimes, we also top this dish with a few pomegranate seeds before serving. Delish!

Diced and roasted potatoes with Greek seasoning

We discovered an amazing Greek seasoning a couple years ago at a farmers market in Clear Lake, Iowa. It is called Kusina Gold and it is the best! We especially love it on diced and roasted potatoes.

We just dice a white potato, steam it for a couple minutes in the microwave, and then toss it with our favorite Greek seasoning. These potatoes can be roasted in the oven, grilled outside on a grill pan, or quickly heated in an air fryer. Your choice. They taste so good and typically have a crispy outside and soft and warm inside. Yum!

Air fryer fries – a healthy way to eat potatoes

One final health way to enjoy potatoes is to make fries in the air fryer. For this dish, we made skin-on steak fries, though you could certainly peel the potatoes and make smaller fries.

To make these, we washed a potato, then sliced it to desired size. Next, we soaked the potato for 30 minutes in cold water before drying the fries thoroughly. Next, we sprayed a little olive oil on them, put them in the air fryer cooking basket and cooked at 400 for about 20 minutes. Finally, we sprinkled with a pinch of kosher salt and served with a little ketchup.

Check out the video below for a little more about us and some more information on these flavorful dishes.

Have you found healthy ways to eat potatoes? Let us know in the comments below. 

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