It all started one Thanksgiving evening years ago when I was a young child. My somewhat-picky taste buds left me with my usual bland dinner plate, but something changed that year. I believe it was my mother and cousin who managed to convince me that I simply HAD to try the sweet potato casserole due to its dessert-like qualities and my well-known sweet tooth. Just one bite was enough for me to fall in love with sweet potatoes, and they have filled the greater portion of my Thanksgiving dinner plate ever since. 
So what does my little Thanksgiving story have to do with oven fries?? Well, it wasn’t until that day that I began to truly enjoy eating potatoes of any kind- baked, roasted, or fried. Regular white potato fries are preferable at times, but I choose sweet potatoes just as often.
In terms of nutrition, sweet potatoes are packed with antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E that are linked to an array of health benefits. They also provide a great source of fiber, vitamin B6, potassium which regulates blood pressure, and manganese which helps to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
The fact that we can consume such an array of nutrients while eating a form of fries is pretty exciting, if you ask me. The recipe below contains my favorite combination of flavors, but you can easily omit or substitute any of the flavorings to make fries that are ideal for your taste buds.
As much as I love ketchup, it is nice to change it up a bit sometimes. Guacamole is always a wonderful alternative. This nutritious tahini dip is another great one, and I highly recommend the combination. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do!
- 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, scrubbed (peeling is optional)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- turmeric, cumin, additional spices of choice, optional
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the sweet potatoes in half, then slice into 1/4- to 1/2-inch sticks. Pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture that would prevent the fries from crisping.
- Place prepared sweet potatoes, olive oil, and spices in a large bowl, and mix until all fries are evenly coated. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet, spaced evenly apart so that none are overlapping.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the fries are crisp and golden. It is best to flip them halfway through baking, in order to achieve an even texture and browning.
- Enjoy!
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp water (more if needed)
- Combine all dip ingredients in a small bowl, and whisk until smooth. You may adjust the ingredients to taste, and use more or less water depending on your preferred consistency.
- Enjoy!
Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite way to eat sweet potatoes?
