One of our biggest tips for sticking with your health goals through the holidays is to bring your own side dishes. When you bring your own dishes, you know exactly what you put in it, how much of all ingredients (like cream and butter), and you can trust that there will be something that you will like. Opting to bring your own ensures that there will be at least one healthy alternative for you to rely on. This is just one of the many healthy options that you can offer to take over to Grandma’s!

Our perfect side dish this year: Creamy Butternut Squash Mashed Potatoes. It’s the perfect comboniation because the butternut squash adds an amazing flavor and a healthy twist on a classic recipe.

Butternut squash is the perfect touch in those cooler, fall months. It is usually a beige colored gourd with a similar taste to sweet potato. This will give the potatoes nice smooth and creamy texture with some sweet added flavor. Butternut squash is also full of important nutrients that fall in the carotenoid family. Carotenoids are red/orange veggies that are a fantastic source of magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and other antioxidants to keep you healthy throughout that flu season!

To whip these dreamy potatoes up, start by boiling the potatoes with the skins on in a pot of water for 25-30 minutes, or until they are tender. Pro tip: leaving skin on the potato boosts the fiber content, which is a total plus! In another pot, boil the butternut squash for 15 minutes, or until tender. Next, in a bowl, combine the potatoes, butternut squash, cream cheese, and garlic powder, and salt to taste. Using a pestle or fork, mash all the ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Next, we’ll get to the leek topping. Heat up the olive oil, and add the leeks and soy sauce. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the leek topping to the mashed potatoes, and finish off with ground black pepper.

When dishing up your holiday plate, fill half of your plate with those savory green beans and a delicious leafy salad, a healthy (2-3 oz.) portion of protein, and a hearty scoop of these Creamy Butternut Squash Mashed Potatoes to finish it off. Thinking about Thanksgiving this way allows you to enjoy all your favorite dishes without skipping on those wonderful veggies! And, of course, don’t forget to enjoy a nice sliver of pumpkin pie at the end of the night!

So now we want to hear from you. What do you think about our tasty little addition of butternut squash to your traditional mashed potatoes? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Creamy Butternut Squash Mashed Potatoes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 medium potatoes quartered
1 cup butternut squash peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

For leek topping

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup leeks sliced
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce

Instructions

Start by boiling the potatoes in a pot of water for 25-30 minutes, or until tender. Leave the skins on
In another pot, boil the butternut squash for 15 minutes, or until tender
Drain the water from both pots
In a bowl, combine the potatoes, butternut squash, cream cheese, and garlic powder. Salt to taste
Using a pestle or fork, mash all the ingredients together until smooth and creamy
Next, we'll get to the leek topping. Heat up the olive oil, and add the leeks and soy sauce. Sauté for 3-4 minutes
Add the leek topping to the mashed potatoes, and finish off with ground black pepper. Enjoy!