Sicilian Red Potato Salad

The Sicilian Red Potato Salad will be a hit as a starchy addition to any lunch, dinner or BBQ. Just make sure to make plenty as the flavor seeps after a day or two, and makes a delicious leftover treat that athletes love to scoff down morning, noon and night.

Colored potatoes provide an abundance of carotenoids and flavonoids that white potatoes typically do not. Carotenoids and flavonoids are pigments that possess strong antioxidant and important free radical scavenging properties. The darker the starchy yellow flesh of a yellow potato, the greater quantity of carotenoids. The blue in blue potatoes comes from their genetically inherent flavonoids.

The potato is best known for its carbohydrate content. One medium potato contains about 26 grams of starch and an insignificant amount of protein and fat. A small but significant portion of this starch is resistant to digestion by enzymes in the gut and is therefore able to reach the large intestine essentially intact. This resistant starch has similar health benefits as fiber. It provides bulk, offers protection against colon cancer, improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, lowers plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, increases satiety, and possibly even reduces fat storage.

White potatoes measure high on the Glycemic Index (GI) and are often excluded from low-GI diets. However, the GI of potatoes can vary considerably depending on type (such as red, russet, white, or Prince Edward), origin (where it was grown), preparation methods (cooking method, whether it is eaten hot or cold, whether it is mashed or cubed or consumed whole) and what they are accompanied with, such as high-fat or high-protein toppings.

The glycemic effect of an entire meal or mix of foods on blood sugar, as opposed to a single food, is referred to as its Glycemic Load (GL). Glycemic load is calculated by multiplying the total number of net (digestible) carbohydrates in a meal by the individual glycemic index of each contributing carb (as a percentage).

Recipe

• 2.2 lbs mini red organic potatoes (or any mini colored potato)
• 2 bulbs of chopped garlic
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons crushed oregano
• 1 tin chopped anchovy with the oil
• ½ cup capers
• Sea salt and crushed pepper to taste

Directions

• Wash and cut potato in half. Cook potato (steam or microwave).
• Peel and cut garlic into pieces (1 clove quartered).
• In a large bowl lightly mix hot cooked potato, olive oil, garlic, oregano, anchovy w/ oil and capers.
• Add more olive oil if necessary. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.
• Let mixture sit at room temperature for a few hours to soak in flavor. Serve at room temperature. This recipe can be covered and stored in fridge for up to 4 days.

NOTE: This delicious potato salad provides a dense source of clean burning carbohydrates. The trick to carbs and starches is not to eat too many at one time or exceed your tolerance for them.

Bon Appetite!...TKH