You’ve no doubt heard of ‘Loaded’ Baked Potatoes and other decadent ‘loaded’ delicacies. But have you ever thought about ‘loading’ plain pre-made foods to make them something really special and boost their healthfulness? I do this several times a month, especially when I’m in a hurry or running late…
An exceptionally healthy ‘overloaded’ Baked Potato. Go for it!
I love Loaded Baked Potatoes. In fact, I load mine so full of good things that I consider them an entrée. Like Loaded Potatoes, though, any ‘loaded’ dish can become a Calorie, Fat and Salt whale if you’re not careful about how you load it.
What to load with…
I always have some White or Cremini Mushrooms in the house, along with a Sweet Green or Red Pepper, Onions, Cheddar Cheese (for grating), a small, scoopable dry Pasta like Rotini or Penne, and some sort of savoury Protein.
The Veggies are, by definition, healthful and we don’t get enough of them in our diets as it is. ‘Nuff said.
But the Protein thing can slip you up. I like Smoked Ham, Italian Sausage and Sugar Cured Bacon. But you can also add leftover Steak, Burger Patty, Turkey, Chicken or other proteins. I once topped a Baked Tater with bite-sized Meatloaf cubes, and I topped that with Marinara Sauce rather than something more Calorie-laden. Yum! You can usually pair one or another of the above with the dish you’re loading, based on compatible flavours. If the dish already contains Protein, you probably don’t need to add more. But there are exceptions (see Pizza, below).
Those deceptive Loaded Potatoes…
You can add almost anything to a Baked Potato to sexy it up and increase its nutritional value. The Potato, itself, is very healthy: 100 g of Baked Potato contains virtually no Fat or Cholesterol, a tiny amount of Salt (until you add more), and a respectable amount of your daily recommended intake of Potassium, Iron, Magnesium, Vitamin C and Vitamin B6. And the average Baked Potato weighs in at between 300 and 350 g.
So, it’s up to you to you load your Spud in a responsible way. Or own the consequences. Whether you heap on the Butter and Sour Cream is entirely up to you. You can add a lot or a little savoury Protein, according to your preferences.
Pizza…
You can add more of anything that’s already on a Pizza to that Pizza. Just makes sense. I go heavy on the Veggies and add a moderate amount of extra Cheese. Many years ago, when I was first living out on my own, I’d splurge on an inexpensive, basic frozen Pepperoni and Cheese Pizza for a few bucks and load it up into something magnificent. That was back when Produce was still relatively cheap, as was Cheese. I could get six meals out of one Medium Pie.
If you’re the sort of person who has the gang over and wants them to think you’re some kind of culinary genius, get a frozen Pizza, load it up to the nines, and claim you made it yourself. You could also cut the time and effort required to scratch-bake a Pizza by grabbing a pre-made supermarket Crust (many of which come with a convenient Sauce packet) and loading it ‘your way’ from the foundation up. And feel less guilty about claiming you made it yourself.
Soups…
If you use dehydrated Soup Mixes or Canned Soups (Caution: They’re heavy on Salt!), load them up with all the Veggies, Pasta and extra Protein you can handle! This is a great place to use that leftover Turkey that’s been sitting in the freezer since your last major holiday feast. You’ll be glad you froze it in single-serving portions. I’ve even used Chicken Nuggets, Mini Meatballs and Asian Pork Chunks from leftover from party trays of hot Hors D’oeuvres in both Clear and Cream Soups to great reviews.
I like the convenient, quality pre-made Soups you can get frozen or in pouches in the Deli Department of most supermarkets these days. Just microwave and enjoy. They don’t really need any enhancements, in most cases, but the temptation to ‘load’ them is irresistible. I add Bacon Bits to French Canadian Split Pea Soup and garnish with chopped Green Onion. I load Potato or Clam Chowder with Mushrooms and top with grated Cheese. There’s also a Broccoli and Cheese Soup to which I like to add some savoury Protein (Bacon or Sausage) and lots more Cheese. Just part-thaw the frozen product in the mic and finish heating in a pot on the stove top. Stir in the goodies near the end of heating.
The Dumpling dodge…
You can always fancy-up any Soup or Stew by floating a few Chinese Steamed Dumplings in the heating pot. Just leave the lid on the pot, undisturbed for five minutes while the meal simmers. They’re inexpensive and can be found in a wide range of sizes in the Asian section of the freezer section at most supermarkets or at any Asian grocery. Makes a Soup a light Main Dish, and doubles for Starch on the plate if you’re having a Soup or Stew that doesn’t contain Potatoes, Noodles or Rice.
And that’s just the start…
Throw some cubed Ham in your canned Baked Beans. If you’re going to have Fries, smother them in chopped Peppers and Onions, and top with a moderate sprinkle of grated Cheese. Add any leftover firm veggies from any sit-down, plated meal to your Soups and Stews. And give yourself extra cretid for using up leftovers rather than throwing out perfectly good food!
As with so many culinary efforts, your imagination is the only limit to your creativity when ‘loading’ your fave dishes…
~ Maggie J.