Newsflash: potatoes are extremely delicious. They’re filling and healthful. Baked with all the toppings might be the best way to eat these tubers. Making this version is an awesome way to switch up some of your normal toppings for more… sophisticated ones. We start with a large red potato, just for a change and a bit more delicacy. We then drizzle it with olive oil (upgrade from butter) and top it with gruyere or gouda cheese (another upgrade there, from cheddar) and a creamy mixture of spinach, bacon, milk, a little flour, cayenne, and fresh nutmeg. These are rich but not heavy, if you can imagine such an oxymoron existing in a single dish. You only use about 3 ounces of bacon here, landing this meal in the “nearly meatless” category, which usually equates to cheaper and, many times, more healthy. The next time you have a hankering for a baked potato, give this upgrade a try and tell us what you think.
Tip (unsponsored): Both Sprouts and Walmart tend to carry large red potatoes. You can absolutely use russets if you wish. We advice not cutting corners and using fresh nutmeg (as opposed to the pre-grated version). There’s just nothing like freshly grated nutmeg. Gruyere is a FANTASTIC swiss cheese. It isn’t extremely cheap but truly is worth every penny, so please don’t skimp on that. It is a little soft which can make it a little challenging to grate. Putting it in the freezer for about 10 minutes before grating will firm it up enough to make the job easier.
Have your kids help you pierce the potatoes with a fork (if they can do it safely). Be sure to let them smell the nutmeg. They can also help you fill the potatoes with the spinach mixture. As you prepare and enjoy these with your loved ones, teach them about a few of the nutrients they are providing their bodies:
- Red potatoes’ skins are full of iron, which helps your blood to oxygenate your body.
- Spinach is high in vitamin K, which helps your bones stay healthy.
- Nutmeg is found in some toothpastes because it helps kill the bacteria that causes bad breath.
Since California produces the vast majority of vegetables, let’s learn a few things about this magnificent state:
- Surprisingly (because of California’s “health-nut”-y reputation), The world’s first McDonald’s ever was built in San Bernadino.
- More turkeys are raised in California than in any other state.
- California is called “the Golden State” because a builder found a lump of gold in a river, sparking a rush of people (the “Gold Rush”) hoping to find gold.
Adapted from: Ham-And-Spinach Spuds
- 7 or 8 large red potatoes (or 4 large russet potatoes)
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 bunch spinach (or a 10 oz bag), roughly chopped
- About 6 slices uncooked bacon
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Kosher salt
- 4 ounces gruyere or gouda cheese, finely shredded (about 1¼ cups)
- Cook the bacon by laying on a foil-lined cookie sheet and baking at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the fat drippings.
- Pierce the potatoes with a fork; microwave for 15 minutes. Remove and brush with olive oil; transfer to the oven rack and bake at 400 degrees until fully tender, about 15 minutes (more if your potatoes are on the larger side).
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil plus the reserved bacon fat in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and cook until slightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 6 minutes. Stir in the spinach and bacon and cook until the greens wilt and the mixture is about as thick as sour cream, 3 to 4 more minutes. Season with the cayenne and nutmeg and add salt to taste.
- Slice the cooked potatoes lengthwise down the middle (but not all the way through); press in on the ends to open the slit. Drizzle ½ tablespoon oil into each potato; fluff the flesh with a fork and season with salt. Divide the spinach mixture among the potatoes and top with the shredded cheese while still hot.
