The Star of the Show

Hurray for Sweet Potatoes!

They're fiber rich - which means they'll fill you up. They are a great source of beta carotene, which the body  actually accesses better when combined with some fat-(so don't be afraid to slather on the butter or olive oil). A good source of vitamins A & C, iron and calcium. They contain manganese which helps thyroid function, and they are fairly high in antioxidants compared to other veggies. If none of this impresses you, then lets talk fries. Who doesn't love a good french fry? The problem with fries is that, well... they're fried. And oven fries don't seem to give you that satisfying crunch, This is especially true when trying to make sweet potato oven fries because they contain a lot of moisture. But,  do not fret... I've found the answer. I decided to give the crunch-factor a boost by coating the potatoes with something to help suck up the moisture. The result, Yummy-Crunchy-Sweet Potato-Oven Fries that disappeared in approximately 2 minutes flat. Here's the secret recipe

The Ingredients: 

2 medium sweet potatoes - either scrubbed and dried with skin on or peeled.  cut into uniformly sized french fry strips
Olive oil
salt
1/8 tsp chili powder - (chipotle is my favorite)
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
3/4 - 1c Potato flour and coconut flour combined

I've recently discovered the wonders of coconut flour. It's a wonderful addition to any gluten-free repertoire. It's has a great, slightly nutty flavor that compliments both sweet and savory recipes. Just keep in mind that it it's best combined with other flours and because of it's moisture loving properties you may need to add a little extra liquid to whatever you're baking so your finished product isn't too dry

Cut the sweet potatoes, toss in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl mix potato and coconut flours (3/4 to 1 cup total combined volume) with spices and another pinch of salt. Coat oily potato slices with flour mixture. Arrange onto lightly oiled baking sheet baking sheet so that none of the fries touch each other. Drizzle the tops with a bit more oil. Bake @ 375 for 20 minutes or so, turning them after 10-12 minutes. Drizzle with more oil if they seem dry bake until they're golden and crisp on the outside and tender inside.  


My fries accompanied homemade crab cakes with a wasabi - caper sauce and greens. A lovely meal to be sure of, but, the fries were the star of the show!