Overloaded Vegan Queso Potato Skins

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line or two of original poetry or a photo of beautiful Michigan light every day in October)

Gentle eyes

Powerful nose

Biggest ears on earth

Sloppy eater

Great big paws

I alone saw your worth

Day 21: Making the humble potato the star of the show

This was a true culinary masterpiece! Flavors towering upon flavors upon flavors and more. You can't tell from the photo, but the skin of this beauty was twice baked and totally crispy and salty. Don't change a thing! Let's celebrate the humble potato!

I served my potatoes on a simple salad dressed with Italian and Ranch. 

Here's what you need for the potato layer:

2 large baked russet potatoes, sliced lengthwise, soft flesh removed, leaving about 1/4 inch 

1/2 C cannelini beans or other soft white bean

soy milk

1/4 C nutritional yeast

salt

2 cloves garlic, rubbed over a microplane 

Here's what you need for the queso: (this recipe came from a Facebook club called 'Vegan Recipe Hoarders)

2 cans Rotel tomatoes

1/2 C cashews

1/2 C white beans

1/4 C white onion

1/2 C oats

1/4 C Nutritional yeast

2 T arrowroot

1/2 C salsa

2 t lemon juice

1 1/2 C water

Here's what you do: 

Put the cooked potatoes in a food processor along with the beans, garlic, salt, nutritional yeast, and enough milk to create a mash....BUT be careful not to over blend it. Food processors can be too powerful sometimes. 

Brush both sides of the skins with corn oil and sprinkle liberally with salt (both sides). Return to the oven (400 degrees) and toast till perfect, maybe about 20 minutes, flipping them half way. 

Load the filling in the  skins and put back in oven to reheat. 

To make the queso, drain the Rotel tomatoes, putting the juice in a high speed blender. Add the cashews, beans,onion, oats, nootch, arrowroot, salsa, lemon juice and water. Blend till smooth. Pour in large pot and heat till thick - stirring. Add reserved Rotel tomatoes. 

Build your potato by ladling a generous amount of queso over each, then salsa, avocado, cilantro. I served mine on a simple salad.