How to enjoy… potatoes?
Potatoes are high in potassium, not ideal for those of us living with kidney disease. But you can still enjoy them in moderation if you use the double-boil method of preparing them. It’s easy! Here’s how:
- Peel and cut potatoes in small cubes, put them in a large pot, and cover them generously with cold water.
- Bring them to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the stove and drain the water off.
- Add fresh water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil a second time, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender.
- Drain the potatoes and discard the water.
A small potato (5cm diameter) contains around 700mg of potassium. The double-boiling method reduces the potassium content by half.
Boiling potatoes without salt makes them a bit less tasty… but there are other ways to give them more zest:
Boiled potatoes
Add whole sprigs of fresh herbs to the second boiling of the potatoes. Any of the following work well!
- parsley
- thyme
- rosemary
Mashed potatoes
Add a garlic clove or a cut onion to the boiling water and mash the garlic together with the potatoes.
Add any or all of the following ingredients before mashing:
- olive oil
- snipped scallion
- chopped fresh herbs
- pepper
- butter or margarine
Try to add dry seasoning, such as:
- onion
- chives
- garlic powder
Baked potatoes
In an oven-proof dish, toss the double-boiled potatoes in a bit of olive oil and dried rosemary and place them under the broiler for a couple of minutes.