Realizations Inc

I love potatoes! It must be intrinsic to my gene pool. Perhaps it is even in my cellular memory what with Irish, French, and English all mixed together. My maternal grandfather left Ireland during the famous potato famine and, ostensibly, had all the potatoes he could eat once he had settled in Canada.

On several Glycemic Index lists, white potatoes come in at 70, just one position above the moderate range of 56-69. Consequently I do not eat them every day. On special occasions, however, I savor every mouthful. I use cream cheese (instead of butter) and celery root (that lists at 15 or lower on the Glycemic Index) so I can have a second helping!

Ingredients

• 10 medium-large potatoes (white or yellow)
• 1 large celery root
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup soft cream cheese (you can use a low-fat or non-fat version)
• 1 tsp salt or to taste (and pepper, if desired)

Celery Root Preparation

Cut off the brownish outside. Cut the celery root into cubes of about 1 inch square.

Place celery root cubes in a large sauce pan with 1 cup of water, ½ tsp of sea salt, and 1 tsp minced garlic. Bring to a boil.

Turn down the heat and allow to simmer covered for an hour or two until very soft.

Potato Preparation

Scrub potatoes well (you can peel them if desired). Cut into cubes or slices.

When the celery root is very soft, add the potatoes to the pan. Add ½ tsp of sea salt. Add a little more water, if needed.

Bring to a boil. Cook covered over low-medium heat until the potatoes are very soft.

Pour off any remaining water and save to use for mushroom-brown gravy.

Using an old-fashioned potato masher, mash potato-celery root mixture. Add cream cheese and mash until smooth.

Add additional salt (and pepper) to taste, if needed.

Spoon into a large bowl. Serve with mushroom-brown gravy and enjoy!