Recipe | Loaded healthy-ish mashed potatoes

This is one of the easiest, most-satisfying comfort dinners that you can imagine. If you’re a fan of mashed potatoes, read on. 

Mashed potatoes often get a bad reputation, but they’re actually a nutritious source of potassium, B vitamins, Vitamin C, and fiber. The problem is, mashed potatoes are often made with loads of butter and cream, but that doesn’t have to be the case! In fact, you can make this dish healthy by simply using vegetable broth and just a splash of half and half. Adding extra veggies to the mashed potatoes (as in this case, steamed green beans) adds extra nutrition and taste to the dish. Ok, and we also added 4 oz of pancetta for some extra flavor (and because we like it), but you totally don’t have to. This is delicious as a vegetarian dish as well. 

Ingredients:

3 lbs potatoes 
32 oz vegetable broth
16 oz green beans (I use frozen)
Splash of half & half (optional)
4 oz pancetta (optional)
1 tsp salt

Boil the potatoes in vegetable broth for about 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, steam the green beans in a vegetable steamer basket in a separate pot.

Drain the potatoes, but catch the vegetable broth in a measuring cup. Use a potato masher and mash the potatoes, then use an electric mixer and add parts of the saved vegetable broth until the mashed potatoes have the desired consistency. You can also add a splash of half and half if you want to add a little creaminess.

Fold in the green beans and pancetta. 

Enjoy!