Stuck in a rut? Living on jacket potatoes but have no idea what to top them with? Are you going to explode if you eat yet another jacket potato with beans? If so…check out my ultimate unofficial guide to Slimming World jacket potato fillings. Full to the brim of Syn free* or Low Syn* ideas to keep you satisfied.
Jacket potatoes are the staple of most Slimming World followers. They are brilliant for a quick and easy lunch or a filing dinner. I eat 2 or 3 a week but I do become bored of the standard fillings. Last week I challenged myself to try a new filling with each jacket potato I devoured. We all need to change things up now and then otherwise temptation creeps in and the next thing you know you are driving to Sainsbury’s at 11pm on a Tuesday night for a bar of Chocolate. (Of course I have never done that, what do you take me for?)
First let’s talk baking the perfect jacket potato.. how to get that perfect crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle potato. It takes a bit of practise but once you have perfected it you have your ultimate meal.
I regularly use the frozen jacket potatoes which can vary from 1 to 2 Syns.* A few minutes in the microwave and you are all set. But they are not as tasty as cooking a potato from scratch.
1. CHOOSE YOUR POTATO
Most supermarkets sell bags of baking potatoes, but if yours doesn’t look for a very large potato. Go for Maris Pipers, King Edwards or Rooster. Try to avoid potatoes with too many sprouts or eyes.
2. PREPARE YOUR POTATO
Remove any eyes or sprouts, wash the potato and prick deeply several times with a fork.
3. PRE COOK YOUR POTATO
Whilst your oven is pre heating to 190c/Gas Mark 5 place the potato in the microwave and cook for 7 – 10 minutes depending on the size of your potato. Flip the potato half way through cooking.
4. SPRITZ YOUR POTATO
Spray your potato with Frylight or another low calorie spray cooking oil. Rub this into the potato and then season with sea salt.
5. BAKE IN THE OVEN
Place your potato onto a baking tray and into the oven for 15 – 20 minutes. Your potato is already part way cooked so you are aiming to crisp the skin here. Use a fork to check the potato is cooked all the way through before serving.
SYN FREE FILLING IDEAS*
Baked potatoes can be completely Syn free* if you choose the right filling. Don’t forget to leave the butter and serve with some speedy side salad.
- Cottage cheese, plain or why not add some ham or cooked bacon bits.
- Tuna, mixed with sweetcorn and 1 tablespoon of Fat free Greek style yoghurt and black pepper. If you don’t like the sound of adding Greek Style yoghurt try adding a spritz of Lime juice.
- Home made chili using my recipe here. Make a huge batch, freeze in small portions and then reheat.
- Baked beans, simple yet so filling and tasty.
- Chopped tomatoes mixed with half a tsp of chilli powder.
- Chicken tikka using my recipe here. Make a huge batch again and re heat small portions.
- Smoky baked beans and bacon – Cook beans in a saucepan and fry one bacon medallion in Frylight. Chop the bacon into small pieces, add to the beans along with a drizzle of Worcestershire sauce and half a teaspoon of smoked paprika.
- Pulled Pork using my recipe here. Make a huge batch and re heat small portions when needed.
- Coleslaw using my recipe here. This will keep in the fridge for a few days. Give baked beans and coleslaw a try it’e delicious!
- Mix sliced beetroot, peppers, tomatoes with cooked chicken.
- Prawns mixed with Fat free natural yoghurt, a drizzle of Worcestershire sauce, half a teaspoon of tomato puree and black pepper.
- Quark topped with black pepper.
- A huge dollop of fat free natural yoghurt, smoked salmon and black pepper.
- Scrambled eggs mixed with tomatoes and bacon.
- Sweet and sour chicken made using my recipe here. Make a huge batch and reheat as needed.
- Slimming World Syn free sausages sliced with baked beans.
- Sauté mushrooms with a little bit of chicken stock and red pepper.
- Diced cucumber and red pepper mixed with quark.
- Smoked mackerel mixed with spring onion and fat free natural yoghurt with a spritz of lemon juice.
- Cooked chicken mixed with oregano, basil, ripe tomatoes, spring onion and fat free natural yoghurt.
- Slow Cooker red lentil curry made with my recipe here.
FILLING USING HEALTHY EXTRA OR SYNS
- Grated cheddar cheese with a dollop of quark and spring onion (Healthy extra A).
- Baked beans with grated cheddar cheese (Healthy extra A).
- Tuna mixed with sweetcorn and 1 Tablespoon Lighter than light mayonnaise (1/2 A syn).
- Boiled eggs, chopped and mixed with 1 Tablespoon Lighter than light mayonnaise (1/2 A syn).
- Smoked salmon with Laughing Cow light cheese triangles (Healthy extra A).
- Prawns mixed with lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon Lighter than light mayonnaise (1/2 A syn).
- Chopped tomatoes mixed with red pepper, mild chilli powder and topped with avocado.
- Baked beans topped with Cheddar cheese (Healthy extra A).
- Slimming Word Syn free sausages, baked beans topped with cheddar cheese (Healthy extra A).
- Mash chopped corned beef into the potato with a dollop of horseradish sauce.
- Twice cooked cheese and bacon. 5 minutes before the end of your cooking time, scoop the potato out, mix with cooked bacon and cheese, put back into the potato and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Coronation Chicken using my recipe here. Just 1.5 Syns.
- Cottage pie potato using my recipe here. Make the beef mince part, scoop the potato out and replace with beef mince recipe, top with the potato and cheddar cheese. Place under the grill and you have a delicious cottage pie baked potato (Healthy Extra A)
- Mashed avocado with black pepper.
EATING OUT
Don’t forget you can still eat a jacket potato when you are eating out with friends and family. In fact it is a great go to meal without breaking the Syn allowance for the day. Remember to ask the restaurant for the potato with no butter and try to choose healthy fillings such as beans and tuna.
Or choose a delicious grilled steak and swap the chips for a jacket potato with no butter.
I hope this has given everyone some idea… if you have any tips or suggestions please comment below and they may be added to the ultimate guide 🙂
