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Microwave baking? Sure thing! You may sacrifice a little bit of a baked potato’s fluffy texture, but you make up for it with all that saved time. Store potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place. Don't refrigerate them--doing so converts some of the potato's starch to sugar. And don't expose them to direct sunlight, which turns them green and makes them bitter. Scrape away any sprouts or green spots, since they might contain a mildly toxic compound called solanine.
Potatoes sometimes get a bad rap for their starchy carbohydrate numbers. Actually though, they contain many of the essential nutrients that the dietary guidelines recommend Americans increase in their diet. Potatoes eaten with the skin provide nearly half of the Daily Value for Vitamin C and are one of the best sources of potassium and fiber. One medium-sized potato has 100 calories and provides complex carbohydrates needed to fuel our brains and bodies. As long as you’re careful with what you put ON your baked potato (sour cream, cheese and bacon), the potato itself is quite healthy.
Certain types of potatoes are best for baking, primarily because of their texture and starch content. Potatoes with high starch content, like russets, are best for baking and also yield light and fluffy mashed potatoes. Those with low starch content, like red-skinned potatoes, hold their shape after cooking, and are great for making potato salads and scalloped potatoes. Medium starch potatoes are called all-purpose potatoes, and they'll work in most potato dishes.
Ingredients: 2 large baking potato 1/4 cup fat free milk 2 Tbs fat free sour cream 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 1 tsp chopped fresh chives
Directions: Preheat oven to 375° F. Prick potatoes several times with a fork; place directly on oven rack in center of oven. Bake 1 hour. Cool slightly.
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out insides, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells; set aside. Place potato pulp in medium bowl. Add milk, sour cream, cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper; beat with electric mixer on low speed, or with a hand masher, until potatoes are mashed and mixture is of desired consistency. Spoon evenly into potato shells, mounding filling as needed.
Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated through. Sprinkle with chives.
Nutritional Information:
Calories Per Serving: 229, Fat:3 g (1 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 11 mg, Sodium:298 mg, Carbohydrates:41 g, Fiber: 4 g
© 2008, Brookshire Grocery Co. Nutrient counts are rounded to the nearest whole number. All dietary and lifestyle changes should be supervised by a physician.
Published 03/07/08
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How do you bake a potato? To prepare, scrub potatoes well, and pierce the skin a few times with a fork so that steam can escape as it bakes. Wrap in foil and cook the potato directly on the oven rack, or if you like the skin really crispy, skip the foil and spray the potato with vegetable spray and put on an oven sheet. Foil holds in moisture and causes the potato to steam. Baking time depends on the size of the potato, but at 375 to 400 degrees, most potatoes are done in 45 minutes to an hour. You can tell that a potato is fully baked by squeezing the potato or poking it with a fork. Either way, the potato should feel soft.
