Sweet Potato Fries

After trying out various recipes for homemade sweet potato fries, I have finally found my two favorites.  The best/healthiest way to prepare sweet potato fries is to cut them from the actual, oddly shaped honking potato.  The actual sweet potato is ugly (sad for the potato) but packs a potent punch of nutrition! 

Photo courtesy of Zoe Bakes

These ugly tubers are truly the best starch out there on the market if you ask me.  I really didn't get into sweet potatoes until I was told they were the only starch I could eat via an appointment with a clinical nutritionist.  Actually, my entire life I had completely avoided the potato/yam as a whole...which reminds me, I actually had to look up the difference between a sweet potato and a yam because I had no idea what the differences were.  I was shocked to discover the truth about yams v. sweet potato, you can read more about it here.  But something magical truly occurs when you are able to slice, coat and bake these little nutritional superstars.  They turn into an actually edible delight that perfectly complement a turkey burger! 

So one option is to slice the potatos into french fry size sections and coat with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and fresh pressed garlic.  Mix in a bowl until lightly coated and then bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.  

I learned that for crispier fries, you should leave the skin ON.  If you peel the potatoes (as shown in the first picture above) the fries never fully get firm (never a good thing).

You could also put a little coconut oil in a pan, heat the oil, and then throw the sliced potatoes in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then sprinkle with cinnamon.  This version complements grilled chicken nicely and I got the idea from my Aunt who made them for me when I was visiting her in Arizona- why does it seem when anyone else cooks for you it tastes better?  

Last word on fries: I know it is TEMPTING to just pick up a bag of the frozen, pre-cut sweet potatoes at your grocery store, but resist the urge.  Those are coated with flour and other ingredients which take away from the nutritional value of freshly baked sweet potatoes.