Tempeh Bacon Twice Baked Potatoes - Post 12

As the weather gets cooler, I crave hardier foods. Heavy soups, potato dishes, stews, root vegetables, and the like. During this time I am often reminded of the twice baked potatoes that my Mom would make when I was a child. It felt big enough to be a meal in itself and for me the potato was a vessel for my favorite hot sauces. (For those of you who do not know, I am a hot sauce fanatic and have been since I was a child) 

Years ago I used to buy vegan bacon and make this classic, but after going gluten free I was unable to find a bacon substitute. After making so many versions of tempeh bacon, it finally dawned on me that I could use it in a baked potato. I am not sure what took me so long to make this realization, but I am glad it came to me. 

Feel free to remake this with any of your favorites like broccoli and vegan sour cream or whatever else suites you. To me a twice baked potato is fun and can be different every time. The only word of caution is to cook your potato long enough. I usually get so impatient when I bake potatoes in the over and sometimes have to throw them in the microwave to finish the cooking. 

Tempeh Bacon Twice Baked Potatoes

• 4 large organic baking potatoes, scrubbed clean, skin still on
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup of soy, almond, or coconut milk
• 1 tbsp vegan butter
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 cup vegan cheese
• 2 scallions, chopped small
• black pepper
• 1 recipe of tempeh bacon (see below)

Set your oven to 425 degrees. Take each potato and using a fork pierce each potato several times. Then wrap each individual potato in tin foil and set on a baking sheet, or place directly on the oven rack.  Bake for an hour or so until the potato is fully baked and soft on the inside. When finished baking remove from the oven and let cool until it is able to be handled. 

Slice off the top half inch of the potato and scoop out the insides into a bowl. Make sure that you leave a wall on the inside of the potato as it will be stuffed again. Mash the insides of the potato with the soy milk and vegan butter. Add in the powders and mash until incorporated. With a spoon mix in 3/4 cup of the cheese, the scallions, black pepper, and tempeh bacon. 

Fill each potato with the mixture, packing tightly. The mixture will need to overflow a bit and be rounded at the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of vegan cheese. Place the potatoes in a baking pan and place back into the oven and bake for an additional 25 minutes. 

Tempeh Bacon:

• 1 package of tempeh (make sure it is gluten free)
• 1 1/2 tbsp molasses
• 1 tbsp liquid smoke
• 2 tsp gluten free tamari 

Slice the tempeh in half to make two rectangles. Then thinly slice the rectangles to make tempeh slabs. Cut the slabs into strips. In the bottom of a baking dish mix the molasses, liquid smoke, and tamari. Dip both sides of the slices into the mixture to coat. Place in the oven with the potatoes that are baking and bake for 15 to 20 minutes turning once. Make sure that the tempeh does not dry out.