Side Dish

It can be difficult to coax your loved ones into eating five servings a day of vegetables (as nutritionists recommend). That's why this recipe cleverly incorporates broccoli into a baked potato. Broccoli is an excellent source of fiber and cancer-fighting antioxidants. Potatoes are a universally loved vegetable loaded with vitamins C and B-6, potassium and fiber. You can make the stuffed potatoes ahead and reheat them when everyone is ready to eat.

3 large baking potatoes
2 large stalks broccoli
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons lowfat** milk, rice milk or soy milk
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. Scrub the potatoes and make shallow cuts around their middles to make it easier to cut them in half after baking. Bake the potatoes at 400 degrees until soft, about 1 hour, depending on the size of the potatoes.

2. Meanwhile, cut the ends from the stalks of broccoli and peel some of the outer skin off to make the stems more edible. Steam the broccoli until crunchy-tender and bright green. Drain and chop fine.

3. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out the insides into a bowl. Add the salt, olive oil and just enough rice or soy milk to allow you to mash the potatoes into a smooth paste. Add the Parmesan cheese and the chopped broccoli and mix well.

4. Pile the mixture back into the potato shells, arrange on a baking dish and heat them to desired temperature.

** In light of recent research, Dr. Weil no longer recommends reduced-fat dairy products unless you happen to prefer the taste.

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