I could feel myself gaining weight as the vegetable oil was heating on my stove Sunday afternoon. Not one bit of food had yet touched my lips, but I could already feel it on my thighs.
It was the first Sunday of the football season, so we had to kick it off the right way in my house—bad food and drinks all day, along with about 10 hours of football. Oh, good times.
The bad foods—and by "bad" I mean delicious but dangerously fattening—of choice were potato skins and nachos. The deep-fried skins were topped with Follow Your Heart "cheddar cheese," soy bacon bits, and scallions. The nachos were made from homemade deep-fried corn tortillas, more Follow Your Heart "cheddar cheese," refried beans, jalapeños, and guacamole.
The deep-fried feast made me feel like I was at any neighborhood sports bar, rooting on my boyfriend's beloved Browns. They didn't win this week, and neither did my Saints, but our football-obsessed Sunday was still fun anyway—and there is always next week.
For more game-day snacks, check out these great recipes fit for even a Super Bowl feast.
Game-Day Potato Skins
6 potatoes
1 cup vegetable oil
8 oz. shredded vegan cheddar cheese (try Follow Your Heart brand)
1/8 cup soy bacon bits (try Bac-Os)
4 Tbsp. thinly sliced scallions
Soy sour cream (optional)
•Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
•Pierce the potatoes with a fork and microwave on high until soft, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
•Remove from the microwave and cut in half vertically. Scoop out the inside, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell.
•Heat the oil to 365°F in a deep fryer or a deep saucepan. Fry the potato shells for 5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
•Fill the potato shells with the "cheese" and soy bacon bits. Arrange on the prepared baking pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the "cheese" has melted.
•Top with the sliced scallions and the soy sour cream, if desired.
Makes 6 servings
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Comments ( 9 )
I always have foods from a vegetarian hotels and resturant as I find it clean and hygene I also don't eat where they(hotels resturant) serve meat can't say if they are mixing or cooking in same pots which serves meat. one should always eat from place where there is pure vetetarian resturants
Posted by jayantagupta | September 12, 2007 6:40 AM
Posted on September 12, 2007 06:40
I see what you're saying jayantagupta.
This is a tough issue though, because we want to support local vegetarian establishments, but we should also let the world outside know that veg foods are popular and in demand.
I always make it an effort, for example, to ask for a chicken-something salad and ask for it without the chicken. If I get a frown from the waitress, I seize the opportunity to throw out three or four sentences on why I don't eat meat.
Thanks!
Posted by Jaclyn | September 12, 2007 4:37 PM
Posted on September 12, 2007 16:37
You people are CRAZY nobody cares.
Posted by Tiffany | September 17, 2007 11:26 AM
Posted on September 17, 2007 11:26
yeah, tiffany, it's CRAZY to think about what i put in my mouth...and all those doctors that agree that veganism is one of the best things you can do for your body are CRAZY as well.
Posted by Eric | September 19, 2007 4:38 PM
Posted on September 19, 2007 16:38
Haha if "Tiffany" didn't care why did "she" post?!
I havn't seen vegan bacon bits, maybe if I just shred realeat bacon slices. I'm def. gonna have to try this, maybe with tofutti cream cheese on top coz I don't get on with the hard vegan cheeses
Posted by Otherside | September 19, 2007 5:56 PM
Posted on September 19, 2007 17:56
Where's the beef?
Posted by fred | October 9, 2007 3:01 PM
Posted on October 9, 2007 15:01
I think what tiffany may be saying is that the chefs don't care. Being someone who has worked in many nonvegetarian restaurants I can agree that the chefs often do not care about gaining vegetarian and vegan customers. More often than not, they care more about serving what sells best, not catering to specific populations, such as vegans, vegetarian, people with allergies, ect.
Posted by Jill | October 24, 2007 2:57 PM
Posted on October 24, 2007 14:57
Chefs do, in fact, not care that much. I have worked in many restaurants for many years and have found that allergic/and/or vegan, etc. customers are more a pain to the recipe obsessed than to the truly compassionate. The safest bet for the most variety is to go to a completely vegan friendly restaurant, or find out the facts for yourself. Ask about the menu being served there and the preperation style, otherwise, homemade is the best! (I know my wife is the best vegan cook I've ever met!)
Josh
Posted by Josh | October 25, 2007 1:28 AM
Posted on October 25, 2007 01:28
This is the lower fat way I do potato skins: brush olive oil on inside and outside of skins, sprinkle on chili, onion and garlic powders, then cook them either by broiling them, grilling them on my electric grill or on the BBQ. No frying, and hardly any oil, but they are great.
Posted by Susan | April 20, 2008 12:09 PM
Posted on April 20, 2008 12:09