It's Easy, Being Green!

Today was the first day that felt warm and not hot, the air clear and not muggy, just the kind of day that makes people love this state. It made me want to eat all kinds of green things for some reason...thus this was born...Mixed Mashed Potatoes with Kale (lovingly now referred to as Green Goddess Potatoes...why? because creating them and then eating them made me feel like like a Goddess, that's why! :)

I love mashed potatoes with a passion. Always have. I rarely make 'em tho because they seem to lack any real nutritional oomph. Can't say that with these! They're slightly sweet, slightly salty, really creamy with bits of unmashed potato (sweet potatoes are an excellent source of caratenoid antioxidants and contain calcium...they're high in vitamins A and C, with a fair amount of thiamine) and laced with wonderful, super yummy kale (an exceptional source of chlorophyll, calcijm, iron, and vitamins A and C as well. Kale is also known to ease ailments of the stomach, liver and immune system).

Oh, the goodness! I'm so glad that this recipe I came up with made enough fo a small army so that I can accompany my next 12 meals or so with a healthy side of 'em!!

Green Goddess Potatoes
3 med-lg red potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 lg sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
3-4 cloved carlic, halfed
1/2 cups plain lite soy milk 3-4 Tbs Earth Balance (I used soy balance as that's what I have right now) pinches of salt black pepper
1 lg. bunch of kale, washed, removed from stems, and cut into slivers

Place potatoes and garlic and pinc of salt in large pot, cover with water, bring to boil, and simmer for aobut 25 min, or until tender enough to mash. Meanwhile, place kale in large saucepot and add soy milk. Bring to a boil and then lower heat, simmering about five minutes, then turn off heat. Drain Potatoes and garlic and mash in large bowl. Add EB and ladle in most of soy milk (you only want to use what you need to get the desired consistancy. You may end up with some extra soy milk. You may not, it really depends on how you like your 'taters. Using electric mixer (or a fork and more energy than I ever have when I'm whipping up some mashed potatoes!), cream potatoes to desired consistancy. Add kale (I used tongs for this) and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir again.

Viola! Heaven! I can't wait to add this to the table for the holidays.

This, apparently, wasn't enough greens for me as I fixed myself a Caesar salad while the potatoes were boiling and the kale simmering. I had originally wanted to add some silken tofu to my potatoes for some added protien, but soon found that the peanut butter pie I made recently used up all I had in the pantry. This turned out to be a very good thing because it forced me to suddenly remember that I have been waiting to use the Nutiva Shelled Hempseed that I ordered weeks ago but has been sitting in my 'fridge awaiting it's turn in the kitchen. What the heck have I been waiting for? This stuff is fantastic! Two Tbs in my salad not only gave me 6 grams of protein but also provided iron, zinc, vitamin E, phosphorous, magnesium, and a bunch of Omegas! Did I mention it tastes wonderful, too?! It really does, and I cannot wait to add it to other salads (I just loved how it clung to each piece of lettuce like little jewels of nutritous yumminess) and kitchen creations.

And if you're still not won over by my Goddess Potatoes? How's about a closeup?