Instant Mashed Potatoes

Most of us, and that includes me, love to snack on mashed potatoes to which cream or butter has been added. There are two ways to make mashed potatoes, either you can use the fresh potatoes, boil and peel them and finally press them to create mashed potatoes at home. Or, if you want to save your time and effort, you can go in for the various brands of instant mashed potatoes, that are available in the market today. Here's a little information on instant mashed potatoes, followed by a delicious instant mashed potatoes recipe.

Instant Mashed Potatoes: Introduction

Instant mashed potatoes come in the form of flakes, to which milk or hot water has to be added, to get a closer version of the naturally mashed potatoes. This convenience food is created through an industrial process, which involves, first of all cooking, followed by mashing and finally drying of the potatoes. The instant mashed potato ingredients include potato flakes, which are made from potatoes, mono and diglycerides - taken from the vegetable oils, as well as citric acid.

Although, mashed potatoes can also be formed by using potato flour, but this might create lumps in the potatoes. To eliminate this lumping, instant mashed potatoes, similar to the instant porridge, always come in flakes or granular form. Sometimes, packaged instant mashed potatoes might also come with an instant gravy. Some of the flavors of packaged instant mashed potatoes are garlic, butter and onion.

Instant Mashed Potatoes: Calories and Nutrition

Most of the branded instant mashed potatoes that are available in the market today have calories in the range of 80-180 per serving, where one serving is approximately thirty grams. The basic instant mashed potatoes have fewer calories, the ones flavored with butter and herbs contain higher calories.

The instant mashed potatoes are very similar to the fresh mashed potatoes prepared at home, when it comes to their nutritional value. They too contain dietary fiber, proteins, carbohydrates and certain vitamins, although in smaller quantities, compared to the mashed potatoes made from fresh potatoes. The only difference being the lack of vitamin C in instant mashed potatoes, in comparison to the fresher version. You may further go to mashed potatoes nutrition facts.

Instant Mashed Potatoes: Recipe

Instant mashed potatoes can taste as good as freshly mashed potatoes, provided they are cooked properly. Here is a simple recipe to cook scrumptious instant mashed potatoes with cream cheese.

Ingredients Required
Four servings of instant potato flakes, six ounces of cream cheese, two tablespoons of green onions (chopped), half tablespoon butter, one tablespoon of parsley, oregano.

Method
Read the instructions on the pack of the instant mashed potatoes and prepare them accordingly. The only difference being, use cream cheese instead of the butter as is generally mentioned on the pack. Add chopped onions and the parsley to the mixture of potatoes and cream cheese. Now take a baking dish and put the mashed potatoes into it. Pour butter and parsley over the potatoes too. Place the dish in the oven and bake for about twenty minutes at 400ºF. After the potatoes have been cooked properly, sprinkle oregano on top and serve.

Cooking with instant mashed potatoes is a good way to save on time and effort. Though its taste and nutrition do not match with the freshly mashed potatoes, yet it is very convenient and easy to prepare, making it an ideal last minute food.