Sweet Potato Fries

Simply peel the sweet potatoes and slice into wedges

Sweet potatoes are traditionally served at Thanksgiving, but we have discovered that we love to cook them year round. In the springtime, they pair well with Easter salmon or lamb, and in the summer they are a great addition to stir-fry or in rice salads. Sweet potatoes are distinctive with their bright orange coloring, indicative of lots of beta-carotene. Beta–carotene acts as a precursor to vitamin A in our bodies and some of it is used for antioxidant activity.

Roasting sweet potatoes in a moderate oven brings out their sweetness so there is no need to add extra sugars to this recipe.

serving size: about 6 slices     prep time: 10 minutes

Sweet potatoes (each potato may serve between 2-3 people)
Olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the sweet potatoes and trim off the ends. Cut them into “steak fry” type wedges, about 4 inches long. Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over them, about 2 tablespoons per potato. Using your hands, gently toss the potatoes to evenly distribute the oil over them. Lightly season them with sea salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes again.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes. Take them out of the oven and turn them over on the pan. Return to the oven and continue cooking until they are tender, about 8 minutes more. If the wedges are larger, they will take longer to cook. Likewise if they are smaller in size, their cooking time will be less. You be the judge. You want them to be tender but not mushy.

A serving of sweet potato fries offers about 150 calories and 4 g fiber.

An easy midweek menu:

Roasted sweet potato fries

Tossed green salad with light vinaigrette

Pork Tenderloin, seasoned with garlic
powder, salt and pepper

Steamed green peas

- Kim Fielding