Creamy Crock Pot Red Potatoes

Sometimes comfort food really is in order.  I try to make my comfort food as healthy as possible, and sometimes I have to compromise.  For instance, this recipe isn't necessarily healthy, but it's not really bad for you either, as it has some extremely healthy elements.  I've cleaned it up a lot by using low fat and fat free versions of several ingredients.  The good news is that these potatoes are so rich and so creamy that just a few of them make a satisfying side dish.  And the potato part is GOOD for you!

Potatoes have about 620 mg of potassium-that's more than a banana. Potassium is essential to the body because of its role in attaining optimal muscle performance and improving the nerves' response to stimulation. Iron, essential in helping the body convert food to energy as well as resist infection, is also present.

One would expect potatoes to have minerals, as they spend their life underground. But potatoes are also a great source of vitamins, even supplying vitamin C, which is essential to help maintain healthy connective tissue and heal wounds. The many varieties of potatoes are also good sources of B vitamins, helping the body make healthy red blood cells and amino acids.

 Potatoes contain no fat or cholesterol and minimal sodium. What they do have is natural fiber in the skins, all those vitamins and minerals and great flavor. And a six-ounce potato contains 2 grams of highly digestible protein, almost as much as half a glass of milk, making it a great foundation for a whole meal.

 There's a bunch more nutrition information about the potato over here, if you'd like to read it.

Creamy Crock Pot Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into eighths--cut potato in half, then quarter the halves
• 2 (8 ounce) packages fat free cream cheese, softened for one minute in microwave
• 1 can low fat cream of potato soup, undiluted
• 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
• 1/4 cup milk of choice (soy, rice, cow, almond, etc.)

 Directions:

1. Place potato pieces in crockpot.
2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat together cream cheese, soup, salad dressing mix, and milk.
3. Stir into potatoes.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until potatoes are tender.

These are for dinner tonight.  I'm going to serve them with Vegan Fried Un-Chicken and fresh corn on the cob.  Check back later for the Un-Chicken recipe and pictures of the finished meal.