Next time you need something quick, yummy and filled with fiber & potassium, try this Baked Potato recipe.               

Veggie Topped Baked Potatoes:  The amount of potatoes you bake or microwave depends on how many people you are feeding.  Throughly wash and dry potatoes, pierce several times with a fork, place on a microwave safe plate or paper plate and cover with a paperplate. Microwave about 8 minutes, again this depends on the number of potatoes you're cooking and your microwave wattage.  While the potatoes cook, chop any veggies you have in the refrigerator.  Carrots, broccoli, onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, garlic, any veggie you like &/or have on hand.  Saute veggies on medium high heat, in a little olive or avocado oil until crispy and the oil has been absorbed, add about a tablespoon of white wine and cook, stirring constantly until wine has cooked away and you've scraped any goodies off the bottom of the pan.  Mmmmmm smell the wine and the veggies and the potatoes cooking.  OK, when potatoes are cooked place desired amount in a soup bowl for each person, cut open and top with a little butter, sour cream and lots of veggies, then top with fresh parmesan, pecorino, asiago, or any cheese you have in the house.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper or my Low Salt 8-Spice mix or my Secret Blend.  Easy, nutritious and full of potassium and fiber!  ENJOY!!!!    

Cooking oil storage tip:                                                                                                                     When storing any and all cooking oils, like "Olive" be sure to keep them in a low cabinet where it's cool.  Don't store any of your oils or cooking sprays over or next to the stove/oven.  Also, wrap your bottles of oil in foil, making sure the bottle is completely covered. This will keep the oil from  light exposure,  which breaks down the oil.  Following these simple tips should help your oil stay fresh longer.

How to store wine:                                                                                                                                 Of course the perfect place to store your wine is in a wine cellar.  Don't have a wine cellar? A wine refrigerator (available at Home Depot) is a good option.  If you don't have access to either of those storeage options, then store your wine in a cool, dark, dry place, preferably on it's side.  Storing your wine on it's side, with the cork* end lower then the bottom, insures the cork stays damp and doesn't dry out.  If your cork drys out it can fall apart when you uncork your wine.  Don't despair, just use a strainer when pouring the wine into a decanter or glasses, that way no cork will end up in your glass. I'm not a "wine sommelier" but I try to keep up with the proper way to store and serve wine.  The last few articles I read say it's not necessary to let your wine "breathe."  Writing in the NY Times Jeffery A. Salter said, "wine needed to breathe as much as mineral water needed to breathe."  There's even a Wine Refrigerator with duel controls so you can keep your Red's & White's at their correct temperatures, or your Champagne at the correct temperature.  With a Wine Cellar you can store your wine and champagne properly, but with a wine refrigerator you'll always have a perfectly chilled bottle of wine or champagne whenever you need one.

Some other uses for your Wine Refrigerator: If you live in a dry climate you know how fast your bread dries out, other's parts of the world have problems with their bread getting moldy.  Solution: Store your bread(s), English muffins, etc. in your wine refrigerator.  The bread doesn't dry out or mold, and it doesn't get hard like it does in the regular refrigerator. I also store my avocados, lemons, limes and other fruits that need to be kept in a cool place, but not the regular refrigerator.

*You have to be careful with some of the new synthetic corks as they may leak.  A natural cork will seal it's self after you remove the cork screw, but some of the new synthetic ones don't.  This can cause the wine to leak out of the cork when you are storing it properly on it's side.  Or just drink the entire bottle, problem solved.  Try to avoid synthetic cords because they pollute our environment, natural corks to not.

*The "Tips" & "Tricks" are excerpts from my cookbook, "Vegan to Shrimp."