Healthy and Green Living

Sure, we know sweet potatoes are healthier than white ones, but last time my son was home, he was weary of the same old mashed stuff and wanted something with a little more crunch and pizzazz. This was the solution.

Make ‘em spicy, sweet, or savory: Any way you do it, these “fries”—actually baked in the oven with a bit of heart-healthy olive oil—are lower in fat than deep-fried, have a lower glycemic index than white potatoes and they come packed with antioxidants as well. So easy, so yummy. Our favorite recipe for sweet potato fries three ways is a keeper, and we include some of our favorite dipping sauces for them, too.

Basic Recipe

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges or strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Toss the potatoes with the oil, salt and pepper, then place in a single layer on a lightly-oiled baking sheet.

3. Bake 20 minutes, then turn and bake another 20 minutes, until soft inside and crisp outside (if you cut the fries very thin, you’ll want to keep an eye on them to prevent burning). Serve hot.

Serves 4.

Sweet Variation

Sprinkle oiled and salted potato wedges with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon Sucanat or other natural sweetener (see the Care2 Directory of Natural Sweeteners). Bake as above. Or sprinkle with Sucanat and cinnamon as soon as they come out of the oven. Or just make the basic recipe and serve fries with this sweet dipping sauce:

Sweet Dipping Sauce
Whisk together 1/2 cup plain or Greek-style yogurt, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and cinnamon to taste. Use as a dip for the baked sweet potatoes.

Spicy Variation

Sprinkle oiled and salted potato wedges with cayenne pepper and/or chili powder to taste and bake as above. Or serve basic fries with this dipping sauce:

Spicy Dipping Sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup healthy mayonnaise and 1/4 cup chipotle salsa or other favorite salsa (we love the smokiness of chipotle, but we’ve also tried peach salsa and loved the combo of fruity and spicy. Feel free to experiment!).

Savory Variations

Add one minced garlic clove, 1/8 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese and some chopped fresh parsley to the fries as soon as they come out of the oven.

Add 1 teaspoon dried rosemary to oiled and salted potato wedges and bake as above. Sometimes we sprinkle these with fresh lemon juice just before serving. (This variation is great with our super-quick version of garlic aioli dipping sauce; just add a crushed garlic clove to your favorite healthy mayo.)

Sprinkle oiled and salted potato wedges with 2 teaspoons curry spices (use regular curry powder, or try 1 teaspoon coriander and 1 teaspoon cumin). Or make this dipping sauce:

Curry Dipping Sauce
Whisk 1/2 cup plain yogurt with 1/2 teaspoon curry paste and use as a dip.

Or just sprinkle your baked fries with a good quality vinegar!

MORE THANKSGIVING IDEAS
• Baked Squash Savory Stuffing
• Curried Pumpkin Soup
• Pumpking Pie with Pecan Crust
• Thanksgiving Decorating with Nature
• Spicy Sweet Potato Patties