Fries: how to upgrade your favorite side for better nutrition, taste and results

Potatoes are one of the most vilified foods these days, with schools banning them from lunch menus and “healthy” people everywhere demonizing them as the dreaded “white food.”

This is complete nonsense. Potatoes are one of the greatest foods and can easily be a staple in your healthy diet.

1. Contrary to popular belief, regular potatoes have more minerals than sweet potatoes.
   
2. One of the most satiating foods on earth.
3. Naturally gentle on digestion.
4. Gluten free (for those who need it).
5. Really cheap and easy to come by.

Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of potato products you should avoid. These include chips, fries, tater tots, stuff you probably know you shouldn’t be eating. But homemade, fresh potato foods can also be delicious, and they’re not going to make you obese.

Here are some simple recipes for tasty homemade potatoes, with all the crispy deliciousness of fries and none of the crap. Of course you don’t have to use potatoes. Everything is better “fried” (as in made like an oven-fry, not doused in “vegetable” oil):

• sweet potatoes
• squash
• kohlrabi
• cauliflower “popcorn”

Cooking Methods

Microwaving

Poke holes in the potatoes with a fork. Wrap in damp paper towels and microwave ~3-5 minutes or until soft. Cooking times will vary greatly depending on potato size and microwave strength.

Use these as the base for mashed potatoes and Oven Fries (recipe below). You can make a bulk recipe in advance to have on hand for quick carbs at any meal. They make a good addition to an omelet, too.

Baked Potato

Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Place potatoes on foil or baking sheet and bake for ~1h or until soft through.

Quick and easy oven fries

For this recipe we recommend a gold variety of potato, for their naturally buttery and delicious flavor.

Ingredients

1. Potatoes
2. Olive oil
3. Salt
4. Black pepper, chili powder or other seasonings, to taste

Seasoning suggestions

• Salt and pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• Smoked paprika
• Rosemary

How to

• Use microwave method to cook potatoes
• Arrange oven rack in bottom third.
  
• Preheat broiler to HIGH.
• Peel microwaved potatoes and cut into wedges or bite-sized pieces.

• Add the salt, seasonings and olive oil and mix everything together.

• Broil potatoes for a few minutes until crispy. Check at 30 sec, since broiler times can vary and these things will burn fast!

Enjoy

Just because you are eating healthy or trying to lose fat doesn't mean you should sacrifice taste. You can have your fries and eat them too, just use quality ingredients and experiment!

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