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You’ve already made the bold move to lighten mashed potatoes by using more chicken stock and less cream. Good for you. If you’re not there yet, I’ve provided an instructional at the bottom of this post.

Now, let’s see if we can go one step further and consider the potato skin peels that most of us discard in order to please all tastes at the table.

The skins not only offer nutrients and fiber, but they can become a satisfying snack food that falls somewhere between potato chips and baked potato skins. It’s a little something I concocted when having to peel the potatoes for my teenager who had just invited mashed potatoes into her fairly exclusive list of ‘foods I will eat,’ but the skins didn’t make the cut.

These will not be your sports bar potato skins, but they are crunchy, flavorful and completely good for you. And with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and closed eyes, you might be tricked into thinking you’re eating potato chips. Add a favorite skinny dip, such as fat free sour cream mixed with blue cheese crumbles.

You likely are not be looking for one more thing to prepare at a holiday meal, but if you are staring at a mound of potato peels and the oven’s already heated, make someone, perhaps someone who will be sitting at the kids table, throw these together. Or better yet, prepare them earlier in the day. Peeled potatoes will keep in water for hours until you’re ready to boil and mash them giving you time to toast the skins and snack on them during the cooking frenzy.

*For chicken stock mashed potato novices only: peel potatoes, cut into 2″ pieces and boil for about 35 minutes until a fork can be easily inserted.

Heat 1 cup of chicken stock for about every 2-3 potatoes. When potatoes are finished cooking, drain water and return to stove on a low heat. Add 2 T butter, 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper for every 2-3 potatoes (adjust to your liking) and beat with mixer on low until lumps break apart. Add 1/2 cup of warmed stock and whip on medium. Continue adding stock until your desired consistency.

Note: I’m a fan of low sodium stock because I can better control my own seasoning and I prefer stock versus broth because I find that the flavor is more rich and less salty.

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