These No Oil Italian-Flavored Baked Potato Bites have once again become a mainstay in my food repertoire.
When potatoes sort of got a bad rap (in some circles, they still do), I eliminated them from my diet. Once I learned how blessed healthy they are, I have been enjoying them once again, but with a slight change as you will see below.
This is how I made them then. I would scrub them with a potato brush, cut them up into bite size chunks, then put them in a large bowl. I would drizzle oil over all and sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, Garlic Powder, Italian seasoning, Basil, and Oregano. And then bake them. Yum!
Well, that was when I wasn’t watching my refined oil intake. When I drastically slashed my added oil intake to nearly nothing, I wasn’t so sure about these potatoes with no oil any more. In fact, I did make them with no oil and they just didn’t seem to measure up.
I thought you just couldn’t bake or fry potatoes with no oil. I have since tweaked them a bit and now they are my go-to for a meal or for a snack.
And that’s with no added or refined oil. This is not a news flash, but it’s the oil that potatoes are fried in that give them the bad rap. And the sour cream and butter and all things fattening.
Potatoes in and of themselves are not fattening. Some cultures live on practically potatoes alone as their main food source and live a long healthy life.
The potatoes are on a Silpat lined cookie sheet. Makes clean up of the cookie sheet so much easier.
These little babies are like French Fries to me. I just don’t know when to quit eating them.
Make a batch and enjoy. Let me know what you think.
Health Notes:
Potatoes are among the foods that have been found to have pesticides. So, I would highly recommend buying organic potatoes, or peel them if they are not organic.
Potatoes have a very high concentration of Vitamin C and this concentration of Vitamin C was known to have prevented Scurvy in the long voyages of Spanish explorers.
Potatoes are also high in Potassium which regulates blood pressure. They contain Vitamin B6 which is important for forming new cells in the body, and also helps with homocysteine levels in the body. Too much homocysteine can damage blood vessels, so good to keep this under control.
Rich in antioxidants, a good source of copper, manganese and trace minerals, potatoes also have a good supply of fiber.
Without sour cream, butter, frying in oil, and all things fattening, potatoes themselves will not make you gain weight no matter what you hear.
No Oil Italian-Flavored Baked Potato Bites
Ingredients
- 6 or 8 Idaho Potatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried Basil
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder (optional)
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Scrub several potatoes with a potato brush, peel them or not, but I would highly recommend NOT. The peel is where the many healthy properties lie
- Cut them into bite size portions or you could cut them in half length-wise and then cut the halves into quarters. Rinse them with cold water
- Place the potato chunks or 1/8s in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, pepper Italian Seasoning, Basil and Oregano. The seasonings will adhere to the slightly wet potatoes
- Spread the potato chunks onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet
- Bake at 425º for about 30 to 45 minutes or until done and browned
- Watch so they don’t burn. The higher temperature will crisp them up and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without these
- Now, here’s another wonderful variation: Instead of the Italian seasonings, prepare a mixture of garlic, fresh mint and a little water. I used to use oil in this mixture too, but the water works just as well. This was one of my Dad’s favorite ways to make potatoes. Coat the potatoes in a bowl with this mixture and bake as above
- Another way I learned from my Dad was to par bake the potatoes. When nearly done, pour your favorite bar-b-q sauce over all and continue roasting until the potatoes have absorbed the sauce. These are just the best