Lunch Basics: American Potato

Do you know how easy it is to have a potato for lunch? Mad easy.

I should really clean out that crumb tray...

Step 1:  Preheat your toaster oven (or conventional oven) to 400°F.
Step 2:  Wash your russet (baking) potato.
Step 3:  Poke it several times with a fork.
Step 4:  Place your potato directly on the rack in the oven.
Step 5:  Set your timer for 45 minutes.
Step 6:  Do something productive for 45 minutes.
Step 7:  Season to taste, add butter or sour cream (chives would be lovely).
Step 8:  Consume.

That's it. Baked potato. Done. Yes, it takes a good chunk of time, but plan ahead, and let the potato do your caloric refuel for you. (Nutritional cliff-notes: about 160 calories, 37g carbohydrates, 4g dietary fiber, 2g sugars, 4g protein, 10% daily iron, and 28% daily vitamin C per potato, skin and all.)

Incidentally, in a healthier-than-thou battle, sour cream always wins over butter. Regard:

In 1 oz. of	Sour Cream	Light Sour Cream	Butter
Calories	60	40	200
Fat	5g	2.5g	22g
Cholesterol	20mg	10mg	60mg
Protein	1g	2g	0g

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Title inspiration: American Buffalo, a play by David Mamet. Premiered at the Goodman Theatre Stage Two in Chicago on 23 November 1975, starring William H. Macy.