Tips to make your mashed potatoes light.

Mashed potatoes are one of the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner.  Who doesn’t love that creamy, butter-laden goodness topped with a hearty helping of gravy?  But if you’re trying to live a more healthy life, you might feel like you should skip the whipped.  Fear not, here are some tips to lighten up your favorite dish.

1. Cauliflower – Want to go all out?  Replace the potatoes with cauliflower.  Cut a cauliflower into small chunks and boil for about 10-15 minutes.  Add low-fat cream cheese, a sprinkle of Parmesan, a pinch of garlic and salt and pepper.  They’re smooth, creamy and virtually carb-free!
   
2. Chicken Broth – Instead of whole milk, cream or even half and half, try using low-sodium chicken broth.  Add a couple tablespoons of low-fat sour cream to get that creamy texture.
   
3. Greek Yogurt – If your recipe calls for sour cream, consider swapping it out for fat free plain Greek yogurt.  You can even use Greek yogurt in place of the butter.  If you’re still skeptical, try trading at least half of your fattening ingredients with Greek yogurt.  Your mashed potatoes will be smooth and super creamy and just a little bit healthier.
   
4. Sweet Potatoes – Try using half sweet and half white potatoes for some added nutrition.  Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene). They are also a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6. Plus, they’re a good source of potassium, dietary fiber, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and phosphorus.
   
5. Skim Milk – If you’re going to use milk, avoid whole full-fat milk and use skim instead.  Just this little change can dramatically reduce the calories in your mashed potatoes.  If the potatoes aren’t creamy enough, you can add a bit of low-fat sour cream or fat-free Greek yogurt.
   
6. Combine – If you’re not ready to completely take the plunge, you can incorporate several of these ideas into your potatoes.  Combine potatoes AND cauliflower, use half sour cream and half Greek yogurt or if you’re not ready to give up your cream, use half cream, half low-fat milk.  Replacing just a little bit of the fattening ingredients with a healthier choice will have benefits.