“One potato, two potatoes, three potatoes, four…”

Do you happen to have a certain counting song stuck in your head now? Not only are potatoes useful for helping your little ones learn their numbers, they are also an extremely versatile root vegetable that can be used in a variety of ways for meals.

We’ve dug into the La Leche League archives to find several recipes that highlight potatoes in different ways. As always, we realize these recipes won’t be a perfect fit for everyone’s dietary preferences/requirements, which is why we always love to hear how you can make a recipe work better for your family. Send your ideas to Amy at [email protected].

Let’s start with a salad that is often a staple at meals during this approaching summer season.

Potato Salad – 8 servings

Editor’s Note: This recipe was adapted from Whole Foods For The Whole Family, p. 55

• 6 medium potatoes, boiled, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup minced mild onion
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• ¼ cup chopped chives
• ¼ cup mayonnaise*
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper and ground cayenne pepper to taste

Layer potatoes, onion, cottage cheese, chives, mayonnaise and yogurt 1/3 at a time in large bowl. Chill, covered, for 12 to 24 hours. Toss well with condiments before serving. Refrigeration allows the flavors to blend and results in a delicious unusual potato salad.

*La Leche League daughter Delia Monken of New Jersey, USA, suggests a couple of alternative mayonnaise recipes for those who prefer a vegan or eggless option.

• Vegan mayonnaise: jessicainthekitchen.com/vegan-mayonnaise/?fbclid=IwAR0kVR-NcVOkrcUjH6RoEOQV0IILBNwVuz3P1MiVsLU6jEf3s_SxAcbk_3M
• Eggless mayonnaise: www.imagelicious.com/blog/eggless-mayonnaise

Here is a simple – few ingredients, fairly easy to prepare – recipe that may even tempt your children to help in the kitchen as you make these Italian dumplings.

 Gnocchi – Whole Foods From The Whole World, p. 162 – 8 servings

• 3 cups mashed cooked potatoes
• 2 cups flour
• 1 egg (may omit, or use 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in place of egg)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Combine potatoes, flour, egg and salt in a bowl; mix well to form soft dough. Knead until smooth. Shape into several balls. Roll each ball into a rope 1 inch in diameter on a floured surface. Cut into bite-sized pieces; dimple with your thumb. Cook in boiling water in a saucepan for 10 to 15 minutes or until dumplings rise to the surface; drain. Serve with grated cheese or spaghetti sauce.

And finally, let’s add a little spice to our potato dish with this vegetarian meal.

Garbanzo Curry – Whole Foods From The Whole World, p. 131 – 8 servings

• 2 cups dried garbanzos (chickpeas)
• 5 to 6 cups chopped peeled potatoes
• 1 to 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• Salt to taste

Sort and rinse garbanzos. Soak in water to cover in a saucepan overnight. Cook until tender; drain. Cook potatoes with turmeric in water in saucepan until tender; drain. Sauté onions, garlic, green pepper and ginger in oil in skillet. Add curry powder. Sauté for 1 minute. Combine garbanzos, potatoes, sautéed mixture, tomatoes and salt in saucepan. Simmer until of desired consistency. Serve with brown rice. May combine dried garbanzos with 3 to 4 times their volume of water and cook in pressure cooker for 45 minutes. May omit green pepper.

Please send your story ideas to Amy at [email protected].

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