Vegan MoFo #4: Mashed Potatoes

I really, really love potatoes. Just like our carrots, our potatoes have… character.

When I was growing up, my favourite part of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners was never the turkey, the cranberry sauce, the buns, or even the canned green beans that I adored and to this day will snarf down hot from the pan or cold from the can. My favourite part was the mashed potatoes.

Mashed potatoes are very simple to make vegan. Here we go.

This recipe was originally found on page 185 of the 1978 Betty Crocker cookbook.

2 lbs potatoes
1/3-1/2 c non-dairy milk (be sure to use UNSWEETENED, unless you like your mashed potatoes with essence de sucre et vanille)
2 T vegan margarine
1/2 tsp salt

First you want to take the eyes out of your potatoes. I use this thing:

We call it the “snoopy dog”. It’s a little hard to find them these days. But my husband’s family all has them and we use them for potato-eyeing and fruit – it’s a breeze to take the seeds and bad spots out with this wonderful tool.

Anyway, back to potatoes. I don’t peel mine, but you can if that’s what you prefer. After eyeing and peeling, chop them up and put them in a pan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until tender. When the potatoes are soft, drain them and return to pan

Mash them until no lumps remain (I use a handmixer). Beat in milk in small amounts until the potatoes reach desired smooth-and-fluffiness, then add the margarine and salt. You can garnish with a dash of paprika and/or a sprig of parsley or chopped chives if desired. Then snarf.