By Katie Goodman
I love loaded baked potatoes, but they aren’t exactly waistline friendly. Since many of us have renewed our efforts to eat healthier with the start of the new year, I thought a new loaded baked potato recipe was in order.
Instead of featuring butter, sour cream, cheese, and bacon … basically, fat, calories, fat, and more calories; this recipe features mushrooms and caramelized onions bathed in a rich-tasting balsamic sauce. Sure, there’s cheese too, but just a sprinkling for garnish, and the syrupy vinegar sauce moistens the baked potato enough so that you don’t need butter and sour cream.
This also makes a great vegetarian meal for a weeknight. The baked potatoes can be made in advance and reheated later, or (though I’ve never tried it) I hear you can bake potatoes in a crock pot while you’re away at work. And the vegetables can be prepped and stored in the fridge to cut down on hands-on time after a busy workday.

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Ingredients

4 large baking potatoes, baked according to your preference
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, yellow or red
1 clove garlic
16 oz baby portabella mushrooms
8 oz red wine
3oz balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp fresh parsley, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled for garnish
Chives, sliced for garnish

Directions

Step 1: Remove the stems from the mushrooms and reserve for another use. Slice the mushrooms thinly, about 1/4 of an inch thick.

Step 2: Cut the onion in half from end to end. Remove the skin and discard. Cut the onion into slices.

Step 3: Combine the red wine, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk to mix well and set aside.

Step 4: Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion slices to the pan, tossing to coat with oil on all sides.
Step 5: Evenly spread the onions out in the pan and continue to cook, stirring just occasionally for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 6: Grate one clove of garlic over a microplane grater and add to the pan. Stir in the mushrooms and sauté until tender and golden.

Step 7: Add the red wine and vinegar mixture to the pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook until thick and syrupy. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 8: Serve mushroom mixture over baked potatoes. Top with sliced chives and gorgonzola cheese crumbles.
About the Author:

Katie Goodman blogs at goodLife {eats} where she shares what she finds good in the kitchen and in life through recipes, family memories, and yummy photography. She also works as a freelance food writer and photographer for various sites. Outside of cooking, Katie loves reading, gardening, visiting family, and attending the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she resides with her husband and two children.