Reduced Fat Twice Baked Potatoes
Many years ago we were fortunate enough to enjoy a lovely grilled chicken entree on one of our tours of the now-closed Fitness Ridge Weight Loss Resort in Utah. We were surprised that the side dish was a twice-baked potato, and more surprised at how hearty, cheesy, rich and creamy it was — despite using lower calorie and light ingredient substitutions. A few experiments later, we were happy with our recreation. Serve this potato with a grilled meat entree, or with a salad or soup for a vegetarian entree.
Ingredients
- 4 small baking potatoes - Boise
- 4 sprays olive oil cooking spray
- ½ cup small-curd fat-free cottage cheese - beaten and blended until smooth
- ¼ cup skim milk
- 2 tablespoons white onion - chopped
- 2 tablespoons chives - chopped
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2-3 cloves garlic - crushed and minced (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 cup light mozzarella cheese - shredded non-fat
Toppings (not included in calorie count)
- 1 dash salt
- 1 dash pepper
- 1 dash chives - minced, per potato
- 1 slice turkey bacon - crumbled fine, divided among all 4 potatoes
Instructions
- Heat oven to 450°
- Scrub unpeeled potatoes, and spray each potato with olive oil cooking spray, rubbing with your hands to coat all surfaces.
- Bake potatoes for 35 to 40 minutes until tender when poked with a slender bamboo skewer. Let sit until cool enough to handle.
- Cut a long, thin slice away from the top (lengthwise) across the entire of each potato. Set aside and reserve.
- Gently scoop out the interior of the cooked potato, adding the flesh to a large bowl, and leave the shell and peel intact.
- Add the slice you removed from the potatoes, to the bowl with the cooked flesh, and mash until smooth, with no lumps.
- Mix in all remaining ingredients, except the toppings. Be sure the cottage cheese is blended or beaten sufficient to be very smooth and creamy, before beating into the potato.
- Beat the potato / cheese mixture until very fluffy.
- Refill the potato shells with the fluffy mixture, and sprinkle each potato with a portion of the shredded cheese.
- Place filled shells on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake another 10-12 minutes until hot and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.
- Immediately garnish with toppings, if desired, and serve.
Nutrition
Family Friendly Recipe!
I’ve made this several times. It’s always good, my son’s favorite side dish. I’ve used the low fat or non-fat mozz cheese, but I’ve also reduced the fat even more (but upped the salt a little) by just topping each potato with 1 teaspoon of grated Parmesan per potato, and that’s very good too — and takes care of the dash of salt as it’s already salty. Made it once with sweet potatoes but that wasn’t as big a hit as just a regular Boise.