Let’s be clear… No one–and I mean no one–makes twice baked potatoes like my mom. And as the resident vegetarian in my meat and potatoes family, I have eaten my fair share of mom’s twice baked potatoes when there was little else for me to consume. No complaints here. The buttery, cheesy, salty goodness is a stand alone meal in and of itself–one that would make Paula Deen proud. But in the event you’re not looking to inhale a day’s worth of fat and calories in one side dish, my lighter, veggie-packed twice baked Mediterranean and Mexican taters make a suitable alternative to mom’s masterpiece.

The beauty of this “recipe” (note: I don’t write recipes. Add a little of this, little of that. Tah-dah, food.) is that you don’t have to follow a recipe. Take whatever you’ve got in the fridge, chop it up, and follow the basic prep steps. And you’re not limited to vegetarian ingredients either. Throw in some chicken, steak, whatever. I won’t tell.

Mediterranean Stuffed Potatoes

Baking potatoes
Olive oil
Vegetable broth
Yellow onion, diced
Garlic, minced
Kalamata olives, chopped
Tomato, chopped
Spinach
Feta, crumbled

1. Wash the potatoes and spear them with a fork. Place in a 450-degree oven for about 40 minutes.

2. Sautee onion and garlic in a splash of olive oil. Add olives and tomatoes once the onions are soft and golden. Throw in the spinach at the last minute and leave it just long enough to wilt down.

3. When potatoes are finished, remove from the oven and let cool. Slice off tops and set aside to use later for potato skins.

4. Scoop out potato insides and add to bowl. Smash it up with a splash of vegetable broth for flavor without fat and salt and pepper to taste. Mix in Mediterranean veggies and add crumbled feta. Stuff the mix back into the hollowed potato skins.

5. Put stuffed potatoes back in the oven for about 10 minutes to heat through and melt cheese. Done!

Mexican Stuffed Potatoes

Baking potatoes
Olive oil
Vegetable broth
Onion, diced
Garlic, minced
Red, yellow, green peppers, chopped
Pickled jalapenos (or fresh if you can take it), diced
Black beans
Tomato, chopped
Pepper jack cheese (fine, I used mozzarella because it’s all I had)

1. Wash the potatoes and spear them with a fork. Place in a 450-degree oven for about 40 minutes.

2. Sautee onion and garlic in a splash of olive oil. Add peppers, black beans, and jalapenos once the onions are soft and golden. Throw in the tomatoes at the end. (Sound familiar?)

3. When potatoes are finished, remove from the oven and let cool. Slice off tops and set aside to use later for potato skins.

4. Scoop out potato insides and add to bowl. Smash it up with a splash of vegetable broth for flavor without fat and salt and pepper to taste. Mix in Mexican veggies and add pepper jack. Stuff the mix back into the hollowed potato skins.

5. Put stuffed potatoes back in the oven for about 10 minutes to heat through and melt cheese. Lista!

Ah, crap. I made too much filling. No big. Set aside any extra stuffing you have and throw it in a skillet with eggs for a fancy shmancy omlette in the morning.