Jeanne Jones - Stuffed Spuds: 100 Light Meals in a Potato

F ruit and vegetable stuffed spuds offer exciting combinations of tastes and textures. The addition of nuts and seeds in some of these recipes adds still more variety in texture.

These recipes are all perfect for even strict vegetarian diets. They also run the gamut in menu planning from great breakfast ideas such as Pina Colada Spud (which is even good for dessert) to wonderfully different dinners like Chili Bowl Spuds or Lentil Stuffed Spuds. I also couldnt resist doing a dessert-in-a-spud, the delightfully different Potato and Raisin Pudding Spud. If you love raisin-rice pudding as much as I do, youll love this variation!

The Simple Soup Spud is indeed simple quick, easy, and inexpensive. For a more gourmet approach to soup in a spud, try the Vichyssoise in a Spud.

cup chopped raw almonds

2 baked potatoes

1 tablespoon corn-oil margarine

cup chopped onion

cup chopped green bell pepper

cup cooked tempeh

3 tablespoons dry white wine

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

teaspoon salt

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup white sauce (see Index)

cup nonfat milk

Pinch of paprika

Pimiento strips, for garnish (optional)

Toast the almonds in a 350F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Watch them carefully as they burn easily. Set aside.

Cut a thin slice from the top of each potato. Remove the pulp from the potatoes, being careful not to tear the shells. Place the potato pulp in a mixing bowl and mash; cover and set aside. Keep the shells warm.

Heat the margarine in a large skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook over low heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the tempeh, wine, pimiento, parsley, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Stir in the white sauce.

Add the milk to the mashed potato mixture; mix well. Add to the ingredients in the skillet and cook to serving temperature. Add the toasted almonds within the last minute of cooking.

Heap the mixture into the warm potato shells, sprinkle with paprika, and garnish with pimiento strips.

Makes two servings.

Each serving contains approximately 705 calories, 1 mg cholesterol, 35 gm fat, 757 mg sodium.

2 baked potatoes

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder

teaspoon ground cumin seed

teaspoon oregano, crushed in a mortar with a pestle

teaspoon salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 large tomato, peeled and diced

cup cooked kidney beans

4 tablespoons grated 20% fat-reduced cheddar cheese (optional)

Cut a thin slice from the top of each potato. Remove the pulp from the potatoes, being careful not to tear the shells. Place the potato pulp in a mixing bowl and mash; cover and set aside. Keep the shells warm.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and garlic, and cook over low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin seed, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add the diced tomato and mashed potato; simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cooked beans and mix well.

Heap the chili into the potato bowls and top with grated cheese if desired. Heat in a 350F oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Makes two servings.

Each serving contains approximately 389 calories, 12 mg cholesterol, 11 gm fat, 373 mg sodium.

2 baked potatoes

2 tablespoons canola oil

cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

cup grated scraped carrot

2 cups canned tomatoes, drained and chopped

cup chopped green bell pepper

teaspoon salt

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

teaspoon marjoram, crushed in a mortar with a pestle

1 cup cooked lentils

Chopped parsley, snipped chives, or green onion tops, for garnish

Cut a thin slice from the top of each potato. Remove the pulp from the potatoes, being careful not to tear the shells. Place the potato pulp in a mixing bowl and mash; cover and set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and garlic, and cook over low heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the carrot, tomatoes, bell pepper, salt, pepper, and marjoram, and mix thoroughly. Add the lentils and potato and combine well.

Heap the mixture into the potato shells and place them in a baking dish. Cover, and bake at 375F for 1 hour. Garnish with chopped parsley, chives, or green onion tops.

Makes two servings.

Each serving contains approximately 480 calories, no cholesterol, 15 gm fat, 710 mg sodium.

Variation: LENTIL STUFFED SPUD AU GRATIN. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese over the top of each potato. Place under the broiler until the cheese has melted.

(Indian Sandwich)

The Masala Dosa Stuffed Spud is delicious served with sliced tomatoes. Add fresh fruit for dessert and you have a filling and unusual vegetarian meal.

2 baked potatoes

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

2 canned green chiles, drained, seeded and finely chopped

teaspoon ground turmeric

teaspoon ground ginger

teaspoon chili powder

teaspoon ground coriander

teaspoon ground cumin seed

teaspoon salt

cup nonfat milk

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Cut the baked potatoes into halves. Remove the pulp from the potatoes, being careful not to tear the shells. Place potato pulp in a mixing bowl and mash; cover and set aside. Keep the shells warm.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion, garlic, and chiles and cook over low heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add all of the spices, the salt, and milk, mix well and heat through.

Divide the mixture evenly into the 4 potato shells. Eat like open-faced sandwiches.

Makes two servings.

Each serving contains approximately 284 calories, 1 mg cholesterol, 8 gm fat, 333 mg sodium.

This is a wonderful entree for a Russian vegetarian dinner.

2 baked potatoes

1 tablespoon corn-oil margarine

1 small onion, thinly sliced

pound fresh mushrooms, sliced (1 cup)

teaspoon paprika

teaspoon basil, crushed in a mortar with a pestle

teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

teaspoon salt

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons sherry

cup light sour cream

Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Cut a thin slice from the top of each potato. Remove the pulp from the potatoes, being careful not to tear the shells. Place the potato pulp in a mixing bowl and mash; cover and set aside. Keep the shells warm.

Heat the margarine in a skillet. Add the onion and mushrooms, and cook over low heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the paprika, basil, nutmeg, salt, pepper, sherry, and mashed potato and cook for 5 minutes. Add the sour cream and mix thoroughly. Heat through.

Heap the mixture into the warm potato shells and serve at once. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Makes two servings.

Each serving contains approximately 353 calories, 23 mg cholesterol, 14 gm fat, 402 mg sodium.

Variations: STUFFED SPUD BEEF, CHICKEN, OR TURKEY STROGANOFF. Add cup chopped cooked lean beef, chicken, or turkey in step 3.

The Guacamole Stuffed Spud is another delightful surprise. Not only is it delicious and certainly different, but it considerably reduces the calories per spoonful of guacamole because potatoes are so much lower in calories than avocados.