I used my air fryer for the potato skins but you can use a regular oven.
Also, whatever seasonings and veggies I used can be replaced with veggies of your choosing. Honestly – use what’s in your hydrator drawers before you do a special shop. Part of what made this delicious was being resourceful. I just used what I had.
Ingredients:
2 large russet potatoes – pre baked (400 degrees for 40 minutes, remove from the oven to cool – as always I suggest making several potatoes for food prep for the week and use these two – or three – for this recipe)
5 white mushrooms – halved
10-15 grape tomatoes – keep whole
1 orange bell pepper – chopped
2 handfuls of asian greens – bok choy or choy sum etc – chopped
1-2 Tbsp Shoyu/Tamari or Soy Sauce
1-2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
*balsamic glaze/reduced balsamic (optional – I used this for the potato skins)
1 Tbsp Umani mushroom seasoning from Trader Joes *or your favorite seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp macnut butter
Salt & Pepper to taste
Method:
Cut potatoes in half. Core them – ie. remove the inner soft flesh of the potato.
Take the potato halves and sprinkle with a little salt and drizzle with balsamic glaze, this is totally optional I just did it for a little extra flavor and creativity. Air fry or bake until crisp. Set aside.
Add potato flesh to a cast iron pan & heat to medium high. You can coat the pan with a little butter or oil but I suggest using a tad of water for the sake of steaming without burning and letting the moisture from the other veggies help move things along (this helps reduce the caloric density). Add the mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes to the pan and break some of the potato down into smaller bits. Add your seasonings, umami & garlic, salt & pepper etc. Stir. Add your handfuls of greens and top the pan with a lid to allow the greens to steam and reduce in size. Remove the lid after a minute or two and stir your veggie mixture. Add the macnut butter and stir to incorporate into the veggies, combine well. I used a potato masher to smash the tomatoes and help to mix everything together well, if you have one great, if not you can use the back of a fork. Once cooked well and heated through, scoop several spoonfuls into the potato halves and enjoy once cool. Season with a little extra salt to taste. Take a photo…it’s bound to be pretty!
Why?
5 Health Benefits Of Potatoes
- Low in calories. Of course, we aren’t talking about potato chips or loaded potato skins here = Plain potatoes are naturally low in calories; it’s when we pile on high-fat ingredients or cook them in unhealthy ways that the calories add up. They are naturally fat-free, gluten-free, and cholesterol-free, so the next time you’re tempted to fry your potatoes in oil, opt for boiling instead to help keep your spuds low-cal.
- Potatoes are rich in nutrients. They are a good source of iron, Vitamin C, five out of the eight B Vitamins (the highest being B6), manganese, zinc, niacin, folate, and fiber. Additionally, they contain antioxidants such as carotenoids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids which help zap disease-causing free radicals in the body.
- Skin health. The B vitamins, zinc, and magnesium found in potatoes play important roles in keeping skin healthy. While eating potatoes can help your skin from the inside out, potatoes can be applied topically as well in the form of paste or juice to help mitigate skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation and acne.
- Potatoes are rich in potassium. Potassium is important to a healthy heart because it helps manage high blood pressure and heart disease. White potatoes have 941 mg of potassium and sweet potatoes have 542. That’s about three times 3 times the potassium in an orange and a bit more than a banana.
- Improved Digestive Health. Potatoes contain what is known as “resistant starch.” This means that it “resists” digestion in the small intestine and instead passes to the large intestine where it ferments. This is good because the fibers feed your good gut bacteria and act as a prebiotic. One result is that you feel full longer, which can potentially help with weight loss. Another is that colon cancer chances may be reduced.
– Vegetarian Zen.
