AIP Mashed Potatoes

The early weeks of AIP take a lot off your plate at once, and a real, creamy mashed potato is high on the list of textures people ask us how to get back. White sweet potato, mashed with coconut milk in place of the usual butter and cream, gets close enough that it stops feeling like a substitution and starts being dinner.

White sweet potato is where the real nutrition sits here, starting with potassium, a mineral your muscles and nervous system depend on to function, and vitamin B6, involved in dozens of the enzyme reactions your body runs every day, protein metabolism among them. The medium-chain fats in coconut milk are easy for your body to use quickly, without asking much of a gut that may still be healing.

Stir in the green onion right before you serve it, not before, so the color stays bright against the white. Let a plain bowl of mashed potatoes be something you actually sit down for, at the table, unhurried.

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 cups white sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Black pepper: omitted for AIP elimination phase (add back only after reintroduction evaluation)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions, plus more for garnish

Method

1. Peel and cube the white sweet potatoes into roughly equal pieces so they cook evenly.
2. Place in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook until completely tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Drain well and return the potatoes to the warm pot. Let them sit uncovered for a minute to steam off any remaining moisture.
4. Warm the coconut milk and coconut oil together in a small saucepan or the microwave until the oil is melted and the milk is hot but not boiling.
5. Pour the warm coconut milk mixture over the sweet potatoes and mash until smooth and creamy. For a silkier result, use a hand mixer on low.
6. Season with sea salt, taste, and adjust. Stir in the green onions.
7. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with additional green onions. Serve hot.

*Adapted from Wendi's AIP Kitchen*