Another Yummy Recipe - Pizza Potato Skins

My blog is not a food blog, so if it is boring you with the recent recipes I am sorry. When I discovered I was gluten intolerant I had to rethink completely what my idea of food was. No longer does my food come in a box (which I personally do not consider the stuff in boxes to be even food anymore) but instead it comes mostly from the produce section of my grocery or from a local farmer. I eat as much organic as I can. Sometimes what I am looking for is not available organic so I will by non-organic, but if what I want is available in organic that is what I will buy. I also try to buy grass fed beef, organic chickens, bison is really good as well. So really as much as I can I get organic and local farm raised food.

I miss my pizza though, a lot, so when I read a recipe to make Pizza Potato Skins in my weekly Weight Watchers (WW) flyer around Super Bowl time this year I took note of it! I could have the flavor of my pizza without the gluten in the crust. Last night I had the opportunity to give these a try and I must say they are wonderful! I have modified the recipe to meet my dietary requirements so I hope you give the recipe a try and let me know what you think.

Pizza Potato Skins, Denise's version
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 T Olive Oil (approximate)
Potato Skins from 4 large baking potatoes (See my note below for preparing these the day before.)
Pizza sauce (small jar, check for brands with no added sugars since they are so bad for you)
1/2 cup chopped red onion (picked up at the salad bar since I needed so little of it)
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (again from the salad bar)
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
3 slices cooked bacon that does not contain nitrates
3 rings of canned pineapple chopped
1/2 cup of Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese (taste preference)
Seasons to taste: salt, pepper, oregano, garlic  powder, etc.

How I made my potato skins: The day before, I baked 4 baking potatoes by scrubbing them, rubbing olive oil into the skin and then salting with sea salt. I wrapped them in foil and baked at 400 degrees for 70 minutes. Instead of serving the baked potatoes in the skin like I normally do, I cut them in half lengthwise and then scooped out the potato mixture leaving a fairly thick layer of potato attached to the skin. I then went ahead and re-wrapped the skin in the foil and put it in the fridge to use the following night. Another idea that was published in the WW flyer was to bring the potato skin home from you dinner and use the leftover to make your potato skins. What I liked about my version is the olive oil in the skin tastes really good when you make the pizza potato skins the next day.

Other helpful notes, make sure you chop up your ingredients pretty small since they are going to be on a potato skin which is very small when comparing to a pizza. Pick whatever ingredients you love. That is what I did.

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425.
Slice each section of potato skin in half lengthwise (4 total pieces per potato) and lay out on a baking dish. If you are using leftovers from a restaurant baked potato you will want to spray the pan first with some olive oil spray or drizzle with olive oil.
Add about a tablespoon of pizza sauce per skin (a nice layer spread across the potato flesh)
Sprinkle your topping choices, vegetables, fruits, and meats
Lastly add a thin layer of cheese on top. If you decide you want to add other seasonings you can add those now.
Bake for 6-8 minutes and enjoy! They are quite good!

 This will be my go to recipe when I am craving pizza from now on. This is a much healthier version and one that lets me stay on my wellness plan.