Do you prefer peeling your potatoes when making mashed potatoes over leaving the skin on? I’ve always been a skin-on mashed potatoes type of girl, but I’m pretty sure I’m the minority on this. However, this latest potato peel trend has given me second thoughts and is making me consider joining the other side.
Instead of leaving the skin on the potatoes—or throwing the peels away—you can actually transform potato peels into a tasty and healthy snack.
A Scrappy Cooking Trend
Video creator Carleigh Bodrug, known as @plantyou on Instagram, loves to make content that is all about “plant-based food and fun.”
In a recent post, she pointed out that you should never ever discard your potato peels. Instead, she advised her followers to make Crispy Potato Skins.
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“Omg these were yummy! Don’t ever discard your potato skins,” Carleigh wrote. “Do this instead: Add potato skins to a bowl with a bit of olive oil (optional), nutritional yeast and seasonings. Bake in a 400 [degrees Fahrenheit] oven for 25 minutes or air fry for approximately 10.”
It’s A Super Simple Process
You can do this with any potato variety. However, russet potato peelings seem to be the most popular choice, since that’s what a lot of us use to make mashed potatoes.
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with a silpat (if you don’t have one, parchment paper works just fine). You can also use an air fryer and preheat it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Toss your potato peels into a bowl and mix them with some olive oil, salt and pepper until they are thoroughly coated.
- Roast the peels in the oven for 20-25 minutes or cook in the air fryer for 10 minutes.
- Add optional toppings if your taste buds desire. An ideas is sprinkling them with cheese and green onions.
- Eat right away with a delicious dipping sauce.
Play With Seasoning
This hot and yummy snack can even be elevated with some additional seasoning options. Maybe add some smoked paprika for a barbecue potato chip flavor or some ranch seasoning.
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Some Quick Notes
You should cook your potato peels right away, otherwise they will turn pink and look odd. If that’s not an option, you can coat them liberally with olive oil and store them in the fridge for a day or two until you’re ready to roast. Also, don’t leave the peels in the oven for too long, or else they will end up brown and mushy.
Part Of A Healthy Diet
French fries and potato chips may not be part of a healthy diet, but these roasted potato peels definitely are. They offer a number of health benefits, and can be consumed as part of your recommended daily vegetable intake.
As Healthy Eating points out, one of the benefits of eating potato skins is the potassium intake. This mineral fuels your metabolism and helps your cells generate usable energy from the food that you eat. A serving of four potato skins contains 628 milligrams of potassium. Which is 13 percent of your daily recommended intake, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Potato skins are also a good source of another essential mineral—iron. The primary function of iron is to support red blood cell function. Basically, the presence of iron in your body helps the flow of oxygen.
When you eat four potato skins, you can boost your iron intake by five milligrams. That’s more than half of the recommended daily iron intake for men and a quarter for the recommended intake for women under 50.
Potato skins are also an excellent source of niacin or vitamin B-3. Like potassium, niacin will help break down nutrients into usable fuel. It’s also important when it comes to cell communication and new cell development.
But remember, we aren’t talking about the potato skins you find at a restaurant. Those may be delicious, but they can do a serious number on your diet and health. We’re talking about healthy potatoes skin options like the bad boys listed above.
So, what are you waiting for? Get cooking these delicious babies!