Powerful Stuffed Potatoes!

Ahh potatoes!! What's not to love about them? I don't think there's a person on this planet who doesn't like potatoes, an all American staple!

 

Small to Medium Sized Potatoes

                                

Chicken Breast and Tomato Stuffed Potatoes and Sauteed Crimini Mushrooms and Onion Stuffed Potatoes

          

Baked, fried, grilled, scalloped in a casserole, in soup, potato salad, then there's apple pie and so on, and on and on...so versatile with many ways to enjoy them! 

I remember a time when I thought of potatoes as a fattening food, well of course they can be if you pile on the butter, sour cream and bacon bits on a baked potato or have them in a casserole smothered in cream and cheese! Oh there I go again tempting you with the bad stuff! Nevermind that! 

The thing is that potatoes are NOT fattening! They're actually low in calories and are very good for you, that is if you leave off all the toppings! 

One medium potato has approximately 162 calories. If you were to add the high calorie fats  it would definitely exceed 600 calories!

                          

 1)   Potatoes boost our energy level because they have a high amount of          complex carbohydrates, the starchy kind that fuels our muscles! 

2)  They can help lower blood-fat in the blood and the vitamins and minerals in potatoes can strengthen our immune system, promote a healthy nervous system and improve wound healing!  

3)  They also help the body absorb and use other nutrients and alleviate digestive and malabsorption disorders. 

4)  One medium potato has approximately 926 mg of potassium! An excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, Folate, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium.

A medium sized potato has almost 4 grams of fiber and 130 grams of water! It's no wonder you'll feel quite full after eating one as a meal.  It boggles my mind when I see people eating a 20 oz steak and a baked potato that can fill two hands! Eeek!!  One stuffed potato makes a great meal all by its little self! 

How much is too much? A baked potato should not be larger than your hand slightly cupped. A small to medium sized potato is plenty, trust me you will be content! 

GROUND CHICKEN BREAST STUFFED POTATO

Combined recipe makes for five stuffed potatoes.

First bake potatoes in a 400 degree oven for about an hour, you can always nuke them if you're in a hurry. ( microwave)

Saute ground chicken in 2 tablespooons of olive oil, add fresh ground pepper, a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of thyme. 

Add 2 to 3 chopped roma tomatoes and 3 chopped scallions.

 

Optional: Add 3 tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese to chicken mixture and toss.

Once potatoes are done, slit open and spoon the inside to loosen and pull away from skin.

Take a spoonful and press inside the potato.

 

SAUTEED CRIMINI MUSHROOM AND ONION STUFFED POTATO 

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of butter. ( a little butter helps with flavor and it's not enough to do much harm!)

Add 4 cloves of chopped garlic and one large onion sliced. Add fresh ground pepper, a bit of salt and a teaspoon of thyme.

Once onions have cooked down and appear translucent add 2 packages of crimini mushrooms and cook until tender and mushrooms have carmelized.

Top mushroom mixture inside potato, or you can also combine the two mixtures. 

 

And there you go, a great dinner that packs a powerful punch! 

Let me know what you think! See ya next week!

Healthy and Happy, that's me! ;)

~ Rebecca ~