You guessed it – POTATOES. Not only are potatoes a nutritional goldmine, they are also GLUTEN FREE. This means they are suitable for individuals with an intolerance to gluten, or simply those watching their gluten intake. In support
of Coeliac Awareness Week (26^th May – 1^st June) run by Coeliac New Zealand we are helping raise awareness of Gluten Free foods! And as a bonus we are sharing our exciting new Lemon Drizzle Mash Cake recipe!

By replacing the white flour with ground almonds and MASHED POTATOES (yes you read that right!) the result is a beautifully moist and flavoursome cake. The sugar drizzle on top adds a slight crunch, perfect to serve as a sweet afternoon treat and delicious slightly heated for dessert.

There are hundreds of Gluten Free products on the market these days, but as with any processed ingredients there are always a few nasties in there. The potato is completely free of any additives, preservatives, colours or flavours. From paddock to plate this wholesome vegetable is ideal to be eaten at any time throughout the day.

If you or someone you know are Gluten Free, remind them that POTATOES are a great food choice and should be included as an important part of their diet. With nutrients including vitamin C, fibre, potassium and magnesium to name a few there is no denying they are good for our health.

In the mean time give this cake a try for a special occasion you have coming up – and see if anyone can guess the secret ingredient! 

A cake with mashed potato!?! Believe it! We shared this little beauty at the NZ Guild of Food Writers May Market Day.
This cake is moist and moreish with a slight crunch from the sugar crust. And if you weren’t told you would never guess it’s loaded with spuds!

The perfect way to use up leftover MASHED POTATOES and the addition of ground almonds mean it is also GLUTEN FREE.

The NZ Food Writers loved it so much we are sharing the recipe and we reckon you’ll love it too…

Lemon Drizzle Mash Cake

200g butter, softened

200g caster sugar

4 eggs

175g ground almonds

250g mashed potatoes

zest 3 lemons

2 tsp baking powder 

For the drizzle

4 tbsp white sugar

juice 1 lemon

Heat oven to 180 degrees C.

Butter and line a deep, 20cm round cake tin.

Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, then gradually add the egg, beating after each addition.

Fold in the almonds, cold mashed potato, lemon zest and baking powder.

Tip into the tin, level the top, then bake for 35-40 mins or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Mix the sugar and the lemon juice together, then spoon over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.

Let the cake cool completely before slicing.

Matamata operators who attended industry training have reduced average fat per gram of hot chips from 9.6 per cent to a staggering 7.8 per cent, well below the national average of 10.8 per cent.

Following a successful initiative from industry organisation The Chip Group, customers in the small Waikato town can be confident many local chip retailers are now serving tastier lower fat chips.

“As a result of the training 1711kg of fat will be removed from the Matamata food supply per year,” said Glenda GourlgGourley, Chair of The Chip Group. “This equates to about 3 trailer-loads of fat!”

The training hosted by The Chip Group in February educated staff from 10 take-away shops on cooking deep-fried chips to best practice industry standards – reducing fat and salt content to ensure the crispiest, most delicious results.

“We chose Matamata to participate in this initiative because it has a large number of chip shops in a relatively small area, which are frequented by locals and many tourists throughout the year,” said Glenda.

Local operator Sky Peng got a lot out of the training. “I didn’t realise simple things like cooking at the right temperature and draining properly could have such a big impact on my chips,” he said.

“By following industry standards I have been able to lower our fat content alot – and this makes a big difference to my customers.”

Samples were collected by mystery chip shoppers prior to each retailer being invited to complete the training, and again after they had completed the training to compile the data.

“As a nation we love hot chips – and Matamata has shown that almost every hot chip retailer can improve the standard and quality of their chips if they are trained and follow best practice industry standards,” said Glenda. “The training is available free and online.”

The initiative preceded the 2013 Best Chip Shop Competition, which invites chip retailers to enter their hot chips in a national competition to be crowned New Zealand’s 2013 Best Chip Shop.

Entries for the 2013 Best Chip Shop Competition are now open and available online at www.chipgroup.co.nz/best-chip.

This year the 2013 Best Chip Shop Competition acknowledges all operators who are achieving fat content lower than 9 per cent. They will earn a Highly Commended Award to display instore, making it easier for consumers to pick good outlets.

For more information about the Chip Group, best practice standards training and the 2013 Best Chip Competition, please visit www.thechipgroup.co.nz.

ENDS

Who is the Chip Group?

The Chip Group is an industry collaboration made up of Potatoes New Zealand, chip and oil manufacturers and equipment suppliers. Our activities are supported by health and government members such as the Heart Foundation and The Ministry of Health.

Our overriding goal is to improve the nutritional status of deep-fried chips served by New Zealand foodservice by reducing fat (total and saturated) and salt content.

More information can be found at www.thechipgroup.co.nz.

Media release

12 April 2013

The Chip Group Ltd

For more information/media enquiries, please contact:

Dan Walraven

Ideas Shop

04 499 8995

We have been working to make it easier for you to get the right potato for the right job!

Check out our new “How a Potato Cooks”.

From the team at Potatoes New Zealand we wish you all a SPUDTACULAR EASTER WEEKEND.

Enjoy the choccy, but don’t forget to include potatoes on your menu!

You don’t have to be Irish to LOVE POTATOES, and you certainly don’t need to be Irish to celebrate St. Patricks Day!

The enduring and loyal relationship between Ireland and Potatoes has existed since they were first introduced in 1590. The 17th March is a day to reflect on how over three million Irish peasants depended on potatoes to feed them during the 1800s.

Potatoes thrived in the Ireland’s cool, moist soil and they discovered it was possible to be solely sustained on the vegetable that is rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamin c, potassium and other important nutrients. It is interesting to note that Irish peasants were actually healthier than peasants in England or Europe where bread, a far less nutritious option, was the staple food. Despite the tough times, potatoes still remain a staple food and a national symbol of hope and perseverance.

Ireland and Potatoes will forever go hand in hand. But us Kiwi’s have our own special affinity for this Powerhouse Potato. Being our #1 favourite vege they have been feeding us for thousands of years as well.

To help celebrate in true SPUDTACULAR fashion this Saint Patrick’s Day we have put together a few Irish-inspired recipes options to be washed down with a pint of Guinness!

Scroll through our ‘Travel the World, one potato recipe at a time’ page and find the three classic Irish dishes…..

• Colcannon
• Leek and Potato Soup – here.
• Potato Latkes/Healthy Hashbrowns – here.

We shared another three great recipes last year so check these out again here.

• Green-speckled Spud
• Potato Accordian
• Spinach, Potato and Feta Frittata

Here are another few recipes that we have found are either green or truely Irish inspired:

• Guinness Irish Potato Salad – here.
• Pasta with Green Beans, Potatoes and Pesto - here.
• Bubble and Squeak – here.

Ode to the Irish and Ode to Spuds. Happy St Paddy’s Day Everyone!

We know Kiwi’s LOVE potatoes, so you can be sure your Valentine will to. Include potatoes as part of your valentines menu this Thursday 14th. If you choose to spoil your special someone with spuds here are a few romantic ways to win them over!

Spice up your morning and treat them to Breakfast in bed with these Mexican potatoes and eggs.

Whisk them away to Morroco for the evening by preparing these Moroccan Potatoes with cumin and yoghurt chicken.

Make them blush by adding these flavourful and rosy red Blushing wedges to a juicy piece of your finest steak.

Or simply whip up this quick Warm Potato, capsicum and bacon salad, so you can spend more time with your valentine.

Also if you are taking your other half out for an Al-fresco date of Fish and Chips, look out for operators displaying The Chip Group Training Certificates – so you know you are getting better chips!

Happy Valentines Day from Spuddy and the team at Potatoes NZ! xx

Yet another reason why our spudtacular potatoes are an important part of a healthy balanced diet:

Keep your kids busy while you get ready for Xmas the It’s My Turn to Cook Tonight Bosch School Holiday Program is on this week. Download the e-book HERE.  Full of lots of potato recipes co-sponsored by Potatoes New Zealand, will run live online on Thursday 20th December @ 10am!

The interactive show is the brainchild of food and nutrition educator Glenda Gourley, and her 18 year-old daughter Claire. Already it’s been hailed by celebrity chef and healthy food promoter, Jamie Oliver in his blog.

By encouraging children all over New Zealand to learn to cook their family dinner and eat together, the program also supports the Ministry of Health Food & Nutrition Guidelines for children and young people aged 2-18.

“We want to help children get savvy and confident with food in a way that’s fun, but also delivers results,” says Glenda.  “It’s simple – kids who have food skills make better food choices.”

“The online program is a win-win. Parents can sit back and have their dinner cooked while their children learn healthy food skills, and enjoy hanging out with other kids learning to cook online,” she says.

“We encourage kids to start with simple and healthy dishes like mashed potatoes with spices or herbs, we’ll have them whipping up a scrummy potato salad, show them how to make healthy hash browns on the barbecue, or oven baked potato wedges with salsas and salad.” says Glenda.

The cooking session is highly interactive with the mother-daughter team giving step-by-step instructions direct to children. A range of activities encourage sharing and creativity through live-chats and fun games such as origami puzzles, Christmas gift ideas, and tips and tricks to make the food festive.

The class also recognises other aspects of food health and safety.  “We include lots of other foodie things like how to make food choices, kitchen safety and helping children gain confidence both in the kitchen and on the computer,” says Claire.

Originally trialed as a pilot in April 2012, the response from participants was overwhelmingly positive. The program is supported by 5+ A Day.

For more information and to register online go to www.foodsavvykids.com

For more information contact:

 Glenda Gourley, Potatoes NZ, 027 428 1646

Fiona Morris, Ideas Shop, 027 224 2542

Sunday 5th August 2012 marked Selaks New Zealand Roast Day. An annual event supported by Selaks Wines as a way to celebrate the classic kiwi roast and to encourage families to tuck in around the dinner table. Whether you enjoyed lamb, beef, pork or chicken we hope you all enjoyed yourselves!

Roast Day is about enjoying every aspect of the ‘roast meal’, but we enjoy a roast all year round and Potatoes NZ knows that: ‘A roast is not a roast without potatoes.’ So enjoy spuds with your roast all year around!

Selaks have loads of roast recipe ideas on their website, but if you thought yours was pretty awesome jump over and share your recipe with others! There is still time to enter the Selaks Roast Day competition so go over and ‘Like’ the WE LOVE SPUDS facebook page to be in to the draw to win a twin pack of Selaks Reserve Wine and a few bags of fresh spuds!

There is no doubt about it New Zealanders are avid potato-lovers. Kiwi Chefs know that by including potato dishes on their menu, means happy customers. Chef Simon Green, from The Sebel Trinity Wharf in Tauranga took a few moments out of his busy schedule to share his favourite potato recipe and stories with us.

After 25 years working as a Chef, Simon has been Executive Chef at The Halo Restaurant at The Sebel Trinity Wharf in Tauranga for the last 18 months. His fondest potato memories were as a little boy enjoying Potato, ham and cheese croquettes hand made by his mum. Despite being a well-acclaimed Chef, he is still your typical kiwi, and loves to eat Fish and Chips from paper on Mount Maunganui Beach while watching the sun go down.

We agree with Simon that it is potatoes versatility that makes them so great. “They can be cooked virtually any way, and with so many different varieties.” Says Simon. He knows how important they are to have on a menu, due to being the most versatile of all the starch/carbohydrate ingredients. The Gratin Dauphinois is the most popular potato dish served at The Halo Restaurant, and is served with the Eye and Scotch Fillet Steaks. This specialty dish comes from the Dauphine region of France and consists of thinly sliced potatoes layered in a baking dish with cream/milk and a flavoursome cheese.

Simon has kindly shared the recipe for this delicious Potato Rosti which features on his Halo menu and in the image below. But he also has a handy-tip to share with us about preparing potatoes at home in the kitchen. “Thicken soups with diced potato not flour to keep them light and keep the flavour”.

We know that spuds are satisfying, value for money and full of nutrients, they even get the tick of approval from professionals! So no matter who you are and where you cook there is always a place for potatoes on your plate!