Potato Pancakes

Recently, work has been extremely stressful. I’ve been putting in lots of extra hours, missing lunches, attending work-related dinners, and having to skip my regularly scheduled exercise. When times like these hit, it’s amazing just how quickly my body starts to rebel, my overall sense of well-being really takes a nosedive and I just generally feel icky.

My main method of easing the situation is to retreat back into the things that are most comfortable (and controllable) for me. Usually, this includes majorly upping my veggie and fruit intake and going meatless.

That probably sounds really weird considering most Americans retreat to the cookie jar or the ice cream tub when things start getting chaotic. But for me, self-medication comes in the form of reducing or eliminating meat even more than I normally do. Meat-free meals just make me feel lighter and more energetic, plus it ensures I eat more veggies and fruits to help my body function at its best and fight off all the other nasty stuff going on.

Recipes like this one help me feel my best. Though I would hardly call this recipe cleansing, the all-natural ingredients, comfort food taste and texture, and lack of meat is perfect for these stressful times. Plus, the heavy use of potato (which we rarely eat) means I get a good dose of some vitamins and minerals.

Potato Pancakes

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

6 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded

½ c. finely chopped onion

¼ c. olive or canola oil

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Mix in potatoes and onion.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. In batches, drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the potato mixture into the skillet. Press to flatten. Cook about 3 minutes on each side, until browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Top with all-natural, no-sugar-added applesauce or salsa.