What’s warm and fluffy, savory or sweet, nutritious, filling, and easy to make? If you guessed baked potatoes, you win! Much maligned (incorrectly) for being a fattening food, potatoes are highly nutritious. Whether sweet potatoes or white, both are good for you. It’s what most people top them with that earns the bad rap. Laden with butter, sour cream and cheese, potatoes are similar to salads – healthy until you pour on the caloric dressing.
An appeal for the peel... potato skins are loaded with fiber and minerals. In fact, baked potato skins, whether white or sweet, are often a restaurant appetizer. Scrub potatoes before baking to remove any soil.
To pierce or not to pierce? Pierce. Definitely. Why you may ask? Potatoes contain moisture. The skin seals in the moisture. Piercing the skin allows steam to escape, and speeds the cooking time. We recommend making a 1” slit in the top deep enough to cut through the skin. (Pricking with a fork takes more time and may not actually pierce the skin.)
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Following are two simple allergy-friendly recipes that your little chefs can help with. Older children can do these on their own.
A few tips:
- Choose potatoes that are firm, smooth and free of sprouts.
- Avoid potatoes with wrinkled skins, soft dark areas or green in appearance.
- Select potatoes that are uniform in size for even cooking.
- Don’t wash potatoes before you are ready to cook them; dampness will cause them to spoil faster.
- Store potatoes in a cool (but not cold), dry place.
- To reheat baked potatoes, place on a foil lined baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.
Topping suggestions:
- Corn, black beans and salsa
- Guacamole
- Sautéed mushrooms, onions, spinach
- Scallions, chives, herbs
- Roasted vegetables
- Baked sliced apples (see recipe below.)
BAKED POTATOES (WHITE OR SWEET)
Free of: DAIRY, EGGS, SOY, PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, WHEAT, FISH, SHELLFISH, and GLUTEN
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 50-60 minutes
4 large Russet, Yukon Gold or sweet potatoes, washed and scrubbed
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a pan with foil. Make a slit in the top of the potato deep enough to vent steam. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until it pierces easily.
BAKED APPLE SLICES
Free of: DAIRY, EGGS, SOY, PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, WHEAT, FISH, SHELLFISH, and GLUTEN
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes
- 4 apples, cored and sliced (no need to peel)
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, sugar, maple syrup or agave
- 1 Tablespoon vegan margarine
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°. Toss ingredients together. Place in a baking dish, cover, and bake for 25-30 minutes until tender.
NOTE: you can also bake the apples at 400°. Add to the oven during the last 20 minutes the potatoes are baking so they are ready at the same time.
If you have any questions about our column, e-mail Kathy at allergy@roadrunner.com. For further information about food allergies, contact FARE www.foodallergy.org, or call 1-800-929-4040.
Kathy Lundquist is a Western New York parent whose son, now an adult, was born with severe food allergies. She has worked tirelessly over the last two decades, in a variety of capacities, to increase community awareness of food allergies.