Taco Potato Skins

Taco potato skins bring back so many memories and I am so happy to have a healthy version to share with you!

I worked in a bar in my early 20’s.  On Wednesday nights I worked the kitchen to give our only cook one night off a week.  He was the Uncle of the owner of the bar, and he drank Heineken and shots of Jameson pretty much every night.  By about 10 p.m., I’d have to jump in to the kitchen because, um, let’s just say, he wasn’t in the best condition to be around a hot oil deep fryer or a 600 degree pizza oven.

He was a gentle soul though.  I loved working the kitchen by myself, even though it was super busy.  One of the appetizers we had were loaded baked potato skins.  I loved them.  Like a lot.  They were frozen, but they would cook in the deep fryer in no time, then be stuffed with about 1/2 cup bacon bits, heaps of cheese, put in the pizza oven so the cheese could melt and then served with sour cream and pizza sauce for dipping.  

Did I mention that I also ate a medium pizza to myself in that same shift?  And I wondered how I got to 211 pounds.

These though are my delicious and healthy taco potato skins.  There is only 1 ounce of lean ground Certified Angus Beef ® brand beef.

The rest is bulked up with mushrooms and black beans and this is so filling and delicious.  Part of my weekly meal prep is to bake off a few baked potatoes, let them cool and store them in the fridge.  They will last up to a week, and ready for anything – the base of a crustless quiche, my potato and beef sliders, my potato soup with white beans and kale, you get the idea – so many possibilities!

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Taco Potato Skins

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Do me a favor, and bake up some potatoes as part of your weekly meal prep.  You will thank me later - promise!  It's great to have fully cooked potatoes to have at the ready on a busy weeknight.   These taco potato skins will come together in less than 15 minutes.  #winning

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Ingredients

• 2 baked potato halves, flesh scooped out - each half shell should weigh about 3 ounces each
• 2 ounces lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 ounce good cheddar cheese
• 1 roasted red pepper chopped
• Cilantro, avocado and Greek yogurt for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat air fryer to 400. Spray inside and outside of potato, season with salt and pepper. Cook, skin cut side down for 8 minutes.
2. While that is cooking, sauté the beef, mushrooms, black beans and taco seasoning.
3. When the potatoes are cooked, remove, then divide the beef mixture between the two skins, top each with 1/2 ounce of cheese and return to the air fryer and cook a minute to melt the cheese.
4. Top with cilantro, red pepper, avocado, salsa and plain Greek yogurt for sour cream.
5. Without the avocado each skin is 5 points, but it’s worth the extra 2 points for the avocado 😋

Notes

You can also use an oven if you don't have an air fryer.   Bake on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 425.

To check the WW points for your plan, please click HERE!

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I am going to the gym tonight, I am going to the gym tonight, I am going to the gym tonight.  I figure if I say that three times it will work, right?!

Happy Tuesday, make it a great day!

Love, Biz