Twice Baked Potato

These twice baked potatoes are a great side dish to any meal and even warm up well the next day for lunch. They are filled with fresh herbs, vegan cheese, and a homemade “bacon” as well as tasting amazing! The silky smooth and creamy texture of the potato being blended and baked makes this fancier version of a baked potato that much more special.

Yields 5 servings

Ingredients

5 potatoes

1/3 cup plain almond milk

2 Tbsp. Earths Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup vegan cheddar cheese

1/4 cup mushroom “bacon” (see below for recipe)

1 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Pink Fine Salt

1/4 tsp. Spicely Organic Ground Black Pepper

Pinch of smoked paprika

Mushroom “bacon”

1 Portabello mushroom, sliced

1 tsp. smokey flavor

1 Tbsp. Vitacost Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pinch of Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

Pinch Spicely Organics Ground Black Pepper

Directions

Bacon:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In bowl, drizzle oil over sliced mushrooms.
3. Add salt, pepper and smoke flavor. Mix until evenly coated.
4. On baking sheet, evenly arrange mushrooms.
5. Bake 10-15 minutes.
6. Flip mushrooms and bake for another 10 minutes or until brown and crispy.

Potato:

1. On a baking sheet, place potatoes and set into the 400 degree F oven you preheated for the mushroom bacon.
2. Allow potatoes to bake for 1 hour. Remove form oven and set aside to cool so you can easily touch it.
3. Cut 1/3 of the way down from the top and scoop out the middle portion, careful not to break the skin. Place the potato into a mixing bowl.
4. Add butter, almond milk, chives, garlic, cheese, “bacon”, salt and pepper to taste, mix until well incorporated and smooth.
5. Scoop or pipe back into the potato shell. Instead of throwing out the top portion you cut off, you can use that by placing it at the bottom of the potato. This will also give you an illusion of over stuffed potatoes.
6. Sprinkle the top with smoked paprika and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until top is golden brown at 350 degrees F.
7. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and chives on top.

Chef’s Tip: I let the potatoes cool down in the oven after baking for an additional 5 minutes since I did not use any tin foil around my potato, this helped soften them up a bit further.