VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good

by Mark Bittman

SMASHED AND LOADED SWEET POTATOES MAKES: 4 SERVINGS TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR, LARGELY UNATTENDED Here’s an updated version of the once-ubiquitous stuffed baked potato, made with nutritious, delicious, and colorful sweet potatoes. Veer the toppings toward the sweet or the savory, as you like. (See the list opposite for some ideas.) You can cook the potatoes by either method well in advance, if you like. You can even refrigerate the cooked potatoes for a day or two. Then reheat them in a microwave for a couple of minutes before moving to Step 2. 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste Black pepper to taste Any ingredient(s) from the list that follows, alone or in combination 1 Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, rub with some of the olive oil, and sprinkle all over with the salt. Roast the potatoes until a skewer or sharp knife inserted into one meets almost no resistance, 40 to 50 minutes. Or, put them on a plate, partially cover, and microwave on high for at least 10 minutes and up to 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through. 2 Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and smash them a bit with a fork or potato masher; sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Top with ingredients from the list below (or whatever you have handy) and serve. NUTRITIONAL INFO (with pine nuts, bell pepper, garlic, and balsamic): Calories: 410 • Cholesterol: 0mg • F...