Trying Potatoes

[lew ashby]

Although 100% vegan was never my intention 90+% was, and I do and have been struggling with that for several years now. One of my favorite foods has always been creamed potatoes which I've now all but given up on, they're just not that good without milk and butter and I get no pleasure out of eating them anymore. I've tried soy/oat milks but they haven't helped the taste much either. Vegan butter isn't an options as my "mostly" vegan switch is a health motivated choice, so options like that are not options. Having given up on creamed potatoes I've now moved on to fried potatoes, I'm frying them in water and or vegetable broth. I'm eating them either with seasoning and or with a little barbaque sauce and they're not bad at all. The problem is while trying to avoid oil now my potatoes are sticking to my skillet and burning, on top of that when I get them out often times despite the outside burning to the skillet they'll still not be done enough. Because of this I try and cook them a little longer and then they end up falling apart on my work to the point where I can't even pick them up to dip them in the sauce, or pick them up to eat as is. My struggling, and this is just one example. Any ideas on what I could do? Does anyone have any secrets here? Thanks.

One last thing, I don't think I want to air fry them either as I want them to be moist.

 

[Lou]

If you love creamed potatoes you should have them.

according to my recipe there is only 1/2 tbsp of vegan butter and a few ounces of milk per serving. And although that might be as many as 7 grams of fat - vegan butter is usually high in monounsaturated fats and low in saturated fats. And there is nothing unhealthy about a few ounces of soy milk. So basically good and healthy.

You probably should just use your regular recipe and sub out the diary products for non dairy products.

You might also try making vegan mashed potatoes. I make them all the time in my instant pot. they don't require any butter at all.

Any non sweetened plain plant milk should work. I always have soy milk in my house so I tend to use that.

I don't think I have ever made creamed potatoes. but I used to have them sometimes and I remember liking them. Plus - I'm always low on Magnesium and trying to add more potatoes to my diet. So I'm going to try making some.
I'm probably just going to veganize a recipe. perhaps you have a favorite?
I did find this one with google.

Creamed Potatoes and Peas | VegWeb.com, The World's Largest Collection of Vegetarian Recipes

2-3 pounds new potatoes (or baby potatoes of any kind) unsweetened nondairy milk, as needed 1-2 cups veggie broth 4 tablespoons vegan butter (I used Earth Balance) 1 cup frozen green peas 1/4-1/2 cup all purpose flour 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (sage based) salt...

vegweb.com

* Although there is no mRDA for saturated fats, we do need fat in our diets. I think its like 12 or 14 g a day. Most of us have no problem getting that much. But if you do need to find ways to cut fat there are probably better ways than to cut out you beloved creamed potatoes.

 

[Lou]

BTW, last week my toaster oven died and I bought a air fryer/ toaster oven. Tried French fries for the first time and they didn't come out that great. I'm going to try a different recipe tonight.

but while looking for recipes I found this one - you might try it

Homemade Fries

How to make the best crispy Homemade French Fries in the oven! The secrets to perfect baked fries, plus how to make French fries crispy again.

www.wellplated.com

This recipe uses less than one tbsp of oil per serving. you could probably use even less - they just won't be so crispy.

two more thoughts:

how old and how good is your skillet? You might be in need of a newer or better nonstick skillet.
and... I have an oil spritzer. Sometimes I just spritz my skillet.

 

[silva]

Although 100% vegan was never my intention 90+% was, and I do and have been struggling with that for several years now. One of my favorite foods has always been creamed potatoes which I've now all but given up on, they're just not that good without milk and butter and I get no pleasure out of eating them anymore. I've tried soy/oat milks but they haven't helped the taste much either. Vegan butter isn't an options as my "mostly" vegan switch is a health motivated choice, so options like that are not options. Having given up on creamed potatoes I've now moved on to fried potatoes, I'm frying them in water and or vegetable broth. I'm eating them either with seasoning and or with a little barbaque sauce and they're not bad at all. The problem is while trying to avoid oil now my potatoes are sticking to my skillet and burning, on top of that when I get them out often times despite the outside burning to the skillet they'll still not be done enough. Because of this I try and cook them a little longer and then they end up falling apart on my work to the point where I can't even pick them up to dip them in the sauce, or pick them up to eat as is. My struggling, and this is just one example. Any ideas on what I could do? Does anyone have any secrets here? Thanks.

One last thing, I don't think I want to air fry them either as I want them to be moist.

You should first cook them at least halfway before trying to put a 'sear' on them. I suggest par-boiling, then cutting them and baking on parchment, or a silicone baking sheet. First sprinkle with seasoning, and put a head of garlic in there too if you like roast garlic

I love mashed potatoes with just enough of their cooking water, roast garlic, and loads of nooch. I would suggest adding a bit of plain vegan yogurt. I make soy yogurt and find that adds that nice tang I like with nooch

Do you have an Instant Pot, or other electric pressure cooker? That's my best tip for eating WFPB

 

[silva]

BTW, last week my toaster oven died and I bought a air fryer/ toaster oven. Tried French fries for the first time and they didn't come out that great. I'm going to try a different recipe tonight.

but while looking for recipes I found this one - you might try it

Homemade Fries

How to make the best crispy Homemade French Fries in the oven! The secrets to perfect baked fries, plus how to make French fries crispy again.

www.wellplated.com

This recipe uses less than one tbsp of oil per serving. you could probably use even less - they just won't be so crispy.

two more thoughts:

how old and how good is your skillet? You might be in need of a newer or better nonstick skillet.
and... I have an oil spritzer. Sometimes I just spritz my skillet.

We can get all the fat we need from whole plant foods though. Dr Esselstyn has brought many heart patients back to health, and that's excluding most all fats, not just oils! WFPB physicians advocate zero oil, which would be--vegan butter

A spray of aquafaba does help giving foods a 'crisp' when roasted

 

[lew ashby]

If you love creamed potatoes you should have them.

You might also try making vegan mashed potatoes. I make them all the time in my instant pot. they don't require any butter at all.

* Although there is no mRDA for saturated fats, we do need fat in our diets. I think its like 12 or 14 g a day. Most of us have no problem getting that much. But if you do need to find ways to cut fat there are probably better ways than to cut out you beloved creamed potatoes.

I was saying that vegan creamed potatoes are just not nearly as good as what I'm use to (dairy milk & butter), to the point where I don't even like them. There's more going on here than just trying to stay away from fat, dairy all together is pretty unhealthy, not just it's fat level, and in the case of potatoes, the fat is worse because it's being mixed with a carb/starch/sugar. Most vegans I listen to testify to the unhealthiness of vegan butter. But I don't know, maybe a little wouldn't hurt. I know I've currently dropped them for fired potatoes, that although I like them better than the vegan creamed potatoes, I'm still having a hard time cooking.

 

[lew ashby]

BTW, last week my toaster oven died and I bought a air fryer/ toaster oven. Tried French fries for the first time and they didn't come out that great. I'm going to try a different recipe tonight.

but while looking for recipes I found this one - you might try it

Homemade Fries

How to make the best crispy Homemade French Fries in the oven! The secrets to perfect baked fries, plus how to make French fries crispy again.

www.wellplated.com

This recipe uses less than one tbsp of oil per serving. you could probably use even less - they just won't be so crispy.

two more thoughts:

how old and how good is your skillet? You might be in need of a newer or better nonstick skillet.
and... I have an oil spritzer. Sometimes I just spritz my skillet.

Well when it comes to fried potatoes I actually want them moist. I'm thinking about trying a pressure cooker with some added water. The skillet really isn't that old. What is spritz?

 

[lew ashby]

You should first cook them at least halfway before trying to put a 'sear' on them. I suggest par-boiling, then cutting them and baking on parchment, or a silicone baking sheet. First sprinkle with seasoning, and put a head of garlic in there too if you like roast garlic

I love mashed potatoes with just enough of their cooking water, roast garlic, and loads of nooch. I would suggest adding a bit of plain vegan yogurt. I make soy yogurt and find that adds that nice tang I like with nooch

Do you have an Instant Pot, or other electric pressure cooker? That's my best tip for eating WFPB

I don't want to bake my fried potatoes, I like them moist and a little soft, just not so soft I can't even pick them up with my work due to falling apart. I don't like garlic in my potatoes but I might try vegan yogurt, I've never had it but I'm willing to try. What's nooch?

 

[Emma JC]

I agree with the parboil and then bake and do that fairly often - I also love my potatoes just boiled and then I put some malt vinegar or some other gravy or sauce that I make that is low in oil/fat/salt etc - I also love using my leftover boiled potatoes for skillet potatoes for breakfast, I use only a tiny amount of vegan butter or olive oil to get it started with the other veggies and once they are cooked and I add in the potatoes they don't stick unless I wish them to and they get a bit crispy - I also try to limit my intake of oils/fats and yet recognize that they are needed and it is really only people with known heart disease or Type II diabetes that need to follow Esselstyn's lower oil/fat protocol and I agree with that completely.

Adding lots of spices to all types of potatoes is also a great way to make them tasty and I have also made potato waffles which are delicious.

Oh yes and wedgies are perfect too - boil potatoes either whole or halved to almost completely cooked then cut them into wedges and use a fork to smash them somewhat flat, spice them and then put them in the oven to finish cooking and crisping.

If you google it you will find all kinds of cool ideas.

Mary McDougall has a mini-diet of potatoes and many people have had great success, just google "mary mcdougall potato diet"

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[Emma JC]

since I am here I will answer a couple of your questions:

nooch is nutritional yeast.... this is not your typical yeast and it gives a cheesy flavour to whatever you put it on
spritz - is a small spray


Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[silva]

I don't want to bake my fried potatoes, I like them moist and a little soft, just not so soft I can't even pick them up with my work due to falling apart. I don't like garlic in my potatoes but I might try vegan yogurt, I've never had it but I'm willing to try. What's nooch?

Well, you're not "frying" if you're using a liquid...What I do is partially cook whole potatoes, then cut into spears and bake on parchment, sprinkled with seasoning I like-usually just salt, black pepper, and bake at a high temp, like 425 F. until they get browned, flipping as needed. This is the closest I can think of to fried potatoes. They won't be dry--you want to only boil till before they get soft- this gets them fully baked, but kinda crisp outside.

If you're up to using a commercial non dairy milk, Chobani extra creamy oatmilk is very neutral tasting, and creamy. I've used in mashed potatoes

You might want to look up the cookbooks How Not to Die, and How Not to Diet. Check your library for WFPB cookbooks
So many plant based documentaries out there--of course 29 Easy Plant-Based Recipes You’ll Make Again and Again is a good resource

 

[Emma JC]

the other way I love potatoes is in soups/stew/stoups - they soak up the tasty liquids of whatever you are making and they are cooked just the way you like them "moist and a little soft"

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[bEt]

It sounds like part of the problem is they fall apart when you pick them up. Could you enjoy them just as well in a bowl with the sauce on top?

 

[bEt]

You should first cook them at least halfway before trying to put a 'sear' on them. I suggest par-boiling, then cutting them and baking on parchment, or a silicone baking sheet. First sprinkle with seasoning, and put a head of garlic in there too if you like roast garlic

I love mashed potatoes with just enough of their cooking water, roast garlic, and loads of nooch. I would suggest adding a bit of plain vegan yogurt. I make soy yogurt and find that adds that nice tang I like with nooch

Do you have an Instant Pot, or other electric pressure cooker? That's my best tip for eating WFPB

I noticed you mentioned making soy yogurt. How do you do that? I made soy yogurt many years ago when i was in high school but I used store-bought cow milk yogurt as the starter. Is there another way?

 

[Lou]

I noticed you mentioned making soy yogurt. How do you do that? I made soy yogurt many years ago when i was in high school but I used store-bought cow milk yogurt as the starter. Is there another way?

We have a thread.

Homemade Soy Yogurt

In the US there are very few brands of soy milk left. What brand(s) do you use for making soy yogurt? What equipment do you like to use?

www.veganforum.org

but if you have any questions - ask Silva - she is an expert.

 

[silva]

I noticed you mentioned making soy yogurt. How do you do that? I made soy yogurt many years ago when i was in high school but I used store-bought cow milk yogurt as the starter. Is there another way?

My Instant Pot has a yogurt function, but I'm sure they're are many other ways to keep a constant temp.
I use a soy milk that is just soy beans and water, Trader Joes shelf stable soy beverage. Westsoy and Edensoy are two others I know of.
I use one of these capsules- the probiotic needs specific strains, and these work great=

Amazon.com: NewRhythm Probiotics 50 Billion CFU 20 Strains, 60 Veggie Capsules, Targeted Release Technology, Stomach Acid Resistant, No Need for Refrigeration, Non-GMO, Gluten Free : Health & Household

Buy NewRhythm Probiotics 50 Billion CFU 20 Strains, 60 Veggie Capsules, Targeted Release Technology, Stomach Acid Resistant, No Need for Refrigeration, Non-GMO, Gluten Free on Amazon.com ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders

www.amazon.com

I let culture between 10-12 hours

I use some for cashew cheese. some for topping spicy foods, and the rest I strain for just yogurt

 

[silva]

Soy yogurt makes a good potato topping, I often mix with vegan mayo. ANy spices you like

 

[Tom L.]

One of my favorite foods has always been creamed potatoes which I've now all but given up on, they're just not that good without milk and butter and I get no pleasure out of eating them anymore. ...
The problem is while trying to avoid oil now my potatoes are sticking to my skillet and burning, on top of that when I get them out often times despite the outside burning to the skillet they'll still not be done enough. Because of this I try and cook them a little longer and then they end up falling apart on my work to the point where I can't even pick them up to dip them in the sauce, or pick them up to eat as is. My struggling, and this is just one example. Any ideas on what I could do? Does anyone have any secrets here? Thanks.

I do like fat (I usually use canola oil) with my potatoes, but lately I've been cooking them in my slow-cooker without fat. I put them in first on high (for maybe an hour, I think) and then on low for the rest of the cooking. They don't stick to the cooker, and since I haven't used oil/fat in the cooker, cleanup is easy! I drizzle the oil on them after they're done, unless I eat one whole. They're still rather firm when done, but definitely cooked.

I think you could keep them from burning/sticking to your skillet and still being uncooked on the inside if you used a lower temperature, but I don't know what material your skillet is.

By "creamed potatoes", do you mean mashed? My family often had them: we'd peel them, cut them up into pieces, boil them in salted water until tender, and then mash them until they had a smooth texture. We did add butter and milk, but you're avoiding those. I'd still like them, but they are tastier with vegan margarine or oil.

 

[bEt]

My Instant Pot has a yogurt function, but I'm sure they're are many other ways to keep a constant temp.
I use a soy milk that is just soy beans and water, Trader Joes shelf stable soy beverage. Westsoy and Edensoy are two others I know of.
I use one of these capsules- the probiotic needs specific strains, and these work great=

Amazon.com: NewRhythm Probiotics 50 Billion CFU 20 Strains, 60 Veggie Capsules, Targeted Release Technology, Stomach Acid Resistant, No Need for Refrigeration, Non-GMO, Gluten Free : Health & Household

Buy NewRhythm Probiotics 50 Billion CFU 20 Strains, 60 Veggie Capsules, Targeted Release Technology, Stomach Acid Resistant, No Need for Refrigeration, Non-GMO, Gluten Free on Amazon.com ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders

www.amazon.com

I let culture between 10-12 hours

I use some for cashew cheese. some for topping spicy foods, and the rest I strain for just yogurt

Oh wow, that's genius, to use a probiotic for a starter! Thank you!

 

[bEt]

We have a thread.

Homemade Soy Yogurt

In the US there are very few brands of soy milk left. What brand(s) do you use for making soy yogurt? What equipment do you like to use?

www.veganforum.org

but if you have any questions - ask Silva - she is an expert.

Ok , thank you.