Cheesy Broccoli Potato Mash

Do you have the urge for comforting starchy mashed potatoes but your conscience is telling you to eat more vegetables? You can have the best of both worlds with this dish, satisfying your craving for mooshy starch and healthy green vegetables at the same time.

Broccoli is one of those vegetables that goes on sale frequently. Because it appears on our dinner plate so often, I find myself hesitating when reaching for it in the store. But then I remind myself, it is a nutritional superfood providing a good dose of vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, folic acid and calcium. A serving of Cheesy Broccoli Potato Mash provides 100% of your daily requirement for vitamin C, 30% for vitamin A and 15% for calcium. Sales spiel over.

This recipe doesn’t require much attention except for cutting and mashing. It’s a simple quick dish you can even make ahead of time and keep warm on the stove, heating it up when you’re ready to serve. Because of the cheese, the potatoes don’t dry out when sitting on the stove like regular mashed potatoes would.

I made regular mashed potatoes for my Halloween meat hand and now I’m wondering how that hand would have looked on a plate of these. Creepier?

Cheesy Broccoli Potato Mash

You’ll need a large pot with lid, colander and masher.

• 1 pound white or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into wedges, no need to peel
• ¾ pound broccoli, chopped, about 4 cups
• ½ cup 2% or nonfat milk, heated
• ¾ cup shredded cheddar or fontina cheese — use a low-fat blend if you can find it
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Black pepper to taste

Boil or steam the potatoes for 10 minutes. Add the broccoli to the pot and continue boiling or steaming until tender, about 6-8 minutes more. Drain the water. With the potatoes and broccoli back in the pot, start to mash. After a bit of mashing, add the heated milk, shredded cheese, salt and pepper. Continue to mash until it’s the texture you like.

Original recipe: Eating Well, September/October 2007