Twice Baked Potatoes

I love baked potatoes because you can stuff them basically with what ever you choose. These twice baked potatoes remind me of when I was a student nurse in England and would have a baked potato for lunch. I remember it would be topped with butter and grated cheese. I don’t remember anything else added to it though. The potatoes were huge and by the time I finished eating I was stuffed.

These twice baked potatoes are a much healthier version. I used a cashew sauce that has a creamy cheese-like flavor with the addition of nutritional yeast flakes. Yeast flakes is usually sold in the bulk food section of health food stores or online. It is deactivated yeast, which is usually grown on molasses. It has a nutty, cheesy flavor and it is used to mimic the taste of cheese in many plant-based dishes. It is a source of amino acids and B vitamins and its usually specifically fortified with Vitamin B12.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 large potatoes
• Cheese Sauce
  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked 30 minutes
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 spring onion (white parts for recipe and green parts for garnish)
  • 1/4 cup vegan sour cream.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Scrub potatoes, prick with fork and place on a baking tray. Bake potatoes for 1 hour. While potatoes are being baked, make cashew cheese sauce. In a high speed blender place, cashew, water and blend until smooth. Add pepper, onion, garlic and salt. Process until sauce is creamy and smooth. Set aside.

Remove potatoes from oven using oven mitt, cut in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out baked potato in a medium bowl and set aside the skins. Mash potatoes with a fork or a masher until smooth, add cashew cheese and green onions. Spoon potato filling into the reserved baked potato skins. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes. Transfer baked potatoes on a platter. Garnish with spring onions and vegan sour cream. Delicious served with a salad or as a complimentary side.