Sweet Potato Fries

One thing I discovered while going on a carb restricted diet is that I like sweet potato fries.  That’s noteworthy for me because I do not like sweet potatoes in the manner they are generally prepared around Thanksgiving time.  By the way, as far as the US Agriculture Department is concerned, Yams and Sweet Potatoes are the same thing and they will be labeled that way.  Truth is, Yams are indigenous to Africa and while they may have a similar taste, they are, in fact, an altogether different vegetable and are not related botanically. What you’re eating in North America are sweet potatoes.

My Number One Fan found two recipes on food.com and Tasty Kitchen, which I then blended with a tweak or two for my own taste, so this recipe is original in that sense.  But I probably would not have used the egg white idea that was a part of the Tasty Kitchen recipe, so I have to give credit to them for that innovative approach. This is the secret to giving the fries a golden color and delicious crunch.


Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes
1 whole egg white
1 tbsp Morton Nature’s Seasons (click here for more information)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp granulated onion powder
1/2 tsp granulated garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
non-stick cooking spray (like, Pam)
coarse sea salt to taste

The Recipe
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Peel the potatoes and cut into fries.

Using an egg beater or wire whip, whisk the egg white for a few minutes until it is light and frothy.  Add all the seasonings to the egg white and mix well to combine.  Toss in the sweet potato fries and coat well in the egg white seasoning mixture.

Spray a cookie sheet or sheet pan with non-stick spray and then lay out the fries on the pan.  Don’t overcrowd them.

Bake 30-40 minutes until golden brown and crispy.  Half way through the cooking time, flip the potatoes and rotate the baking sheet. Salt lightly with coarse sea salt while hot and serve immediately. I think they pair very well with Heinz Chili Sauce instead of ketchup.  I have also made a Parmesan horseradish mayonnaise as an accompaniment, using four parts mayo, two parts grated Parmesan cheese (the Kraft green can kind) and prepared horseradish to taste.