the modern baked potato 🍠⚡️
Welcome to those who were just scanning the web and serendipitously landed on my humble site 👋 whether you are in a rut and don’t know what to make; are in that loop of “sooo, what do you want to eat tonight?”; or have fallen into the infinite black hole of saved recipes from social media (the internet is truly ultimate purveyor of maximalist TL;DR content overwhelm 😵💫🫠🤭). I hope you enjoy — it brings me great joy to sprinkle any ease into your life — cheers to your good health, good love & good fortune!
And per my usual caveat, I do not claim to be a doctor or a chef. I do not dream of being a fancy food blogger. I’m just a gal who enjoys living and eating for optimum well-being. I like to creatively alter, and occasionally create, recipes to make them as balanced as possible, in both taste and health. I’ve come to learn soul-food and body-fueling food are both real and equally important, hence the critical importance and beauty of mind-body-soul eating! ✨ I typically like to begin with a key ingredient or two that I’m hoping to work with, search for a preexisting recipe as a guide, then play with measurements and make swaps to level up nutrient density. Consider this a destination for healthy recipe inspiration, where you’ll never have to scroll through any continuously re-populating ads. One of my primary goals is to add a little simplicity in places I’ve found murky.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS PERSONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE ADMINISTERING ANY OF THE SUGGESTIONS MADE ON THEBALANCEDCALM.COM TO ENSURE THEY ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE.
Here’s one of the few recipes (creative concoctions) of my own that I have to share — a baked sweet potato X taco bowl aka the modern baked potato — more nutrient dense and seriously delicious than you likely remember the classic baked potato you grew up with, though I certainly have a gluttonous soft spot for those as well. Luckily, this should help nix any cravings for that decadent comfort food.
INGREDIENTS
4 sweet potatoes
TOPPINGS
1 15 oz can organic black beans, rinsed*
1 medium avocado
1 small organic red onion, chopped
1 c organic fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 c organic scallions, chopped
1/2 c easy cashew crema - see recipe as follows
Optional: shredded cheese
*I love all of the Eden brand beans, they’re next best things to self soaking/prepping, they even use kombu!
CASHEW CREMA
1 c raw, unsalted cashews
1/2 c fresh organic cilantro leaves
1 - 2 large organic garlic cloves
1/2 - 3/4 c water, pending desired consistency
3 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
Approx. 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt + fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Optional: jalapeño with seeds removed
INSTRUCTIONS
1. If making the delicious crema, pre-soak cashews in water for at least an hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F
3. Cover a baking sheet in parchment paper or foil for easy clean up
4. Use a fork to poke holes into the sweet potatoes and set them on the baking sheet
5. Roast sweet potatoes for 40 - 50 minutes, or until soft inside when pierced with a fork
6. While sweet potatoes are baking — drain + rinse the cashews and whip up crema by placing all ingredients a food processor or high speed blender (I use a NutriBullet) — you shall truly be amazed by the deliciousness ;)
6. Give potatoes a little time to cool, then split down the middle and serve immediately with desired toppings — YUM!
As with everything I make, I love to know the ingredients will fuel not only a beautiful plate, but a beautiful feeling inside. I will again caveat, I’m not a nutritionist, but as holistic health coach, here’s some functional food for thought:
SWEET POTATOES
Sweet potatoes are fabulous for gut health, rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber, as well as saturated with many antioxidants. As a complex carbohydrate, sweet potatoes keep us fuller longer! And they’re soaked in so many vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, which is stellar at protecting our precious eyesight! These sweet potatoes protect our bodies from free radicals that can damage DNA and trigger inflammation, linked to a multitude of chronic illnesses from cancer to heart disease to general aging. To get technical, anthocyanins are a group of antioxidants found specifically in purple sweet potatoes, which have been found to slow the growth of certain types of cancer cells, including those of the bladder, colon, stomach and breast! There’s even research suggesting promise of improved memory and lower risk of mental decline. Extracts of orange sweet potatoes and sweet potato peels have been found to have anti-cancer properties as well…so bottom line being, we can’t go wrong incorporating an extra sweet potato or two into our weekly routines!
EITHER CANNED EDEN BRAND OR BOXED BEANS
While soaking your own beans is hands down the most preferable option, for all convenient intents and purposes, boxed beans my only alternative when not purchasing Eden brand beans. Not only are they fresher tasting, there is no BPA or BPS in the lining, which can seep into the food of many canned foods. BPA and BPS has been linked to a multitude of negative health effects from impaired brain function, memory and learning, depression, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and fertility problems. So, if you aren’t soaking the beans yourself and can’t find Eden brand beans — go boxed!
PRE-SOAKING CASHEWS
You may wonder if you can skip the step of soaking the cashews if you have a high speed blender and the answer is that you absolutely can! However, if you want to receive the full punch of nutrient dense deliciousness, I highly recommend carving out the hour. Soaking cashews produces not only an extra creamy texture, it also boosts nutrition! Soaking nuts of any kind removes phytic acid, which allows our bodies to pull out more nutrients from the nuts, as well as makes them easier to digest.
CASHEWS
Cashews are rich in fiber, heart-healthy fats and protein! They’re also naturally cholesterol and sodium free. Plus they’re a fabulous source of copper, magnesium, manganese and vitamin K — nutrients that are important for energy production, brain function, immunity, blood and bone health. Additionally, they’ve been known to reduce risk of diabetes, boost oral health, reduce risk of anemia, promote development of red blood cells and prevent heart disease!
PINK HIMALAYAN SALT
Since pink Himalayan salt is less processed than table salt, your body has an easier time processing it, as it doesn’t require as much water to clear out the excess sodium! It also contains more than 80 minerals and elements, including potassium, iron, calcium and (naturally occurring) iodine, aiding our body’s natural detoxification process and promoting the removal of bacteria. This can even help lower blood pressure, as iodine supports our body’s electrolyte balance, allowing our intestines to absorb more nutrients.
***important to note, quality is essential — always shop organic, whole, preferably in season, ideally know where your food is coming from and thoroughly wash those fruits + veggies!
