Twice Baked Potatoes with Roasted Garlic

I don’t know what it is about baking potatoes twice, but it just seems to spruce them up quite a bit. It’s not much more effort to make this recipe because the blender does most of the work for you.

I used my blender to make the potatoes smooth and creamy. Every time I have blended potatoes they have an interesting ‘sticky’ consistency, but after cooking you can’t really tell. And this certainly does not effect the taste. Maybe it’s the fact that I am not using dairy milk or butter…not sure.

The roasted garlic adds an excellent flavor to these potatoes as well. No one will be able to tell it’s a vegan version of the high fatty twice baked potatoes with butter and whole milk.

Begin by washing 3 large baking potatoes well. Slice them longways and lay them cut side down onto a baking sheet. I sprayed the pan with oil to prevent potatoes from sticking.

I had a clove of elephant garlic and stuck it in the center. A regular bulb of garlic, with the top cut off, will work well too. Bake until potatoes are soft and garlic is a golden color

After the potatoes are done carefully scoop out the potato while trying not to get the toasty peeling. Place the potato pulp into a blender. Squeeze out the roasted garlic into the blender too. Add the milk, spices and blend until creamy and smooth.

Spoon the blended potato pulp back into the shells and bake once more until toasty on top, about 15 minutes more. Sprinkle with cut chives and serve.

Twice Baked Potatoes with Roasted Garlic

Serves 6

• 3 large baking potatoes, washed and cut in half, length-wise
• 1 bulb garlic (or 1 clove elephant garlic)
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 chopped fresh chives (for garnish)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray baking sheet with oil and lay potatoes cut side down. Cut tops off the bulb of garlic and place on the baking sheet among the potatoes. If using an elephant garlic clove, just peel the skin off and lay it on the baking sheet.
2. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are soft and garlic is a golden color.
3. Scoop out soft potato pulp with a spoon. Be careful not to tear or puncture the crispy peelings. Put all the pulp into a blender pitcher. Keep the empty potato peelings on the baking sheet.
4. Squeeze the soft roasted garlic from it’s peelings into the blender or toss the peeled elephant garlic clove into the blender.
5. Add the milk and salt and pepper.
6. Blend the potato mixture until smooth and creamy. You may need to add a bit more milk to get a creamy consistency. Taste for seasonings.
7. Spoon the blended potato pulp back into the potato shells and bake for 15 minutes more, or until lightly toasted and warmed through.
8. You can sprinkle with chopped chives before or after the second baking.