Cooking with Karina: Stuffed Spuds

Roasted Sweet Potato Stuffed With Quinoa. (Photo: Karina Arnold)

Karina Arnold is a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma who’s passionate about healthy cooking. She provides creative, healthy recipes and tips on clean eating.

Potatoes grace our plates in numerous shapes and sizes. These underground tubers are the ultimate #bodypositivity food. American favorites are crispy French fries, creamy mashed potatoes, crunchy tatter tots and loaded baked potatoes. There are more than 4,000 different types of potatoes, each with a different shape, taste and size. As one of the most classic, timeless and versatile food, the potato is essential on my grocery list.

Stuff, bake, fry or grill, these underground tubers to incorporate additional fiber and antioxidants into your diet. See my “Toast All Ways All Day” article to try these spuds for breakfast with my Sweet Potato Toast recipe. Additionally, you can try this fresh take on the classic baked potato. 

Revamp the original loaded baked potato by eliminating processed and hydrogenated fats like bacon, sour cream and butter. Substituting butter for olive oil or coconut oil, and adding veggies like kale and spinach add more heart-healthy nutrients. Additionally, you can exchange fatty meats like brisket and bacon for lean proteins including ground turkey, beef or tofu. 

Experimenting with spices like I did with turmeric in this Roasted Sweet Potato Stuffed With Quinoa makes for great flavor combinations. Rosemary, cinnamon and dill frequent my potato dishes. Along with different spices, you can use sweet or regular or yams for taste variety. Note there are slightly different baking times and different tastes with each different spud. I enjoy sweet potatoes the most because they are cost-effective and tasty. 

Before I stuff my face, I stuff my potatoes with numerous veggies. In this Sweet Zoodle Spuds recipe, I use zoodles and kale in addition to avocado in a baked sweet potato for a sweet and savory dinner. I recommend adding ground beef, turkey or a veggie patty for additional protein. In this recipe, I used black beans with feta. Drizzle your favorite barbeque sauce for a classic Texas twist. 

Embrace and enjoy these loaded baked potato variations. What are your favorite potato toppings? Comment below!