LOADED POTATO SKINS

Prep time 10 mins ● Cook time 40 mins ● Cals per portion 263

WHEN you think of loaded potato skins, it’s easy to assume they’re laden with The Bad Things. But with a few simple substitutes, you can recreate all the flavour for a cheesy, indulgent treat, but without all the calories. SERVES: 4

● 4 medium potatoes

● 6 bacon medallions

● 5 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

● 200g fat-free cottage cheese

● Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

● 30g Parmesan, grated

SCRUB the potatoes, pierce them with the prongs of a fork and microwave them until they are cooked. (If you don’t have a microwave, preheat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6 and bake the potatoes for 1¼-1½ hours until golden brown and cooked through.) Cook the bacon medallions under the grill, in the oven or in a dry frying pan on the hob, then set aside. Preheat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/ gas 6. Allow the cooked potatoes to cool slightly (just enough so you can handle them without burning yourself) then cut them in half lengthways and scoop out the potato into a bowl. Chop the bacon into small pieces. Mash the potato roughly with a fork, then stir in the spring onions and cottage cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture back into the empty potato shells, pressing it in slightly. Top each potato with the chopped bacon and an even sprinkle of Parmesan. Place the filled potato shells on a baking tray and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the Parmesan is melted and golden brown, then serve.