Potatoes are great as comfort food and definitely not fattening – as the common belief goes- if we are careful at how and how much we load them with fattening ingredients like cream, butter, sauces, etc.

Another less known fact about potatoes is their content in phytonutrients, minerals and Vitamins C and B6 (a portion of boiled potato contains half your daily requirement of B6) So boil them in the skin to keep all the goodness sealed in.

Here is healthy and simple recipe for boiled/baked potato, enjoy it as a side or as an appetizers.

Smashed Loaded Potatoes (vegetarian option)

Ingredients for 4 persons:

Potato – 1 kilo or 12 pieces of small round ones

Butter – 2 spoonful

Salt, peppers

Method:

Boil the potatoes in salted water until half cooked (this would be 15 minutes).

Drain carefully.

With a potato masher, squeeze each piece gently to smash it but make sure it stays in one piece.

Place the potatoes in a baking tray, brush with melted butter, salt and pepper and bake in high oven until the edges are crispy (30 minutes approx.)

Toppings:

Tempeh Bacon- 1 cup (recipe below)

Chives- 2 spoonful

Cheddar Cheese- 1 cup shredded

Meanwhile prepare the vegetarian bacon

– Tempeh Bacon: makes 1 cup

Tempeh 1 cup crumbled

Soy sauce 2 spoonful

Maple syrup 2 spoonful

Butter 1 tea spoon

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Marinate for 30 minutes. Pour off excess marinade and reserve it for later. In a skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the marinated tempeh and cook while stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden brown. You can adjust the flavour by adding some of the reserved marinade. Keep cooking, stirring constantly, until the liquid is completely evaporated.

Now your potatoes are out of the oven and the tempeh bacon is done.

Place the potatoes in a serving plate. Add a spoonful of organic sour cream (ready-made), add the tempeh bacon, the shredded cheddar and sprinkle the chives.