Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries

All my life, I've hated sweet potatoes.  They always seemed so heavy and starchy, and I couldn't understand why they were always served as "dessert" at family gatherings.  The combination of sweet potato, brown sugar, and marshmallows (how do THEY fit in?) just didn't work for me.  The sweet potato really didn't seem sweet enough to work with the other ingredients.  As I started exploring a whole foods diet, though, I kept reading more and more about the health benefits of sweet potatoes: they're high in vitamins B6, C, and D; they have twice the amount of fiber found in other potatoes; they have a low glycemic index; they're a good source of iron...  I kept feeling like I was missing out on good nutrition because I didn't want to eat a marshmallow-brown sugar-butter-yam concoction that didn't even taste good!  Finally, my cousin encouraged me to try a baked sweet potato, and I was hooked.  Once I removed the expectation that the sweet potato was supposed to be "dessert sweet," I could enjoy the natural sweetness and flavors found in the tuber. I still enjoy baked sweet potatoes, but lately I've been experimenting with oven-baked fries.  After a few trial-and-error sessions, here's the end result:

OVEN-BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES


Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato
Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
1/2 tsp. corn starch
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garam masala or curry powder
dash of salt

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the sweet potato into steak fry sized chunks.  I prefer to leave the skin on to maximize nutritional value, but feel free to peel it if you prefer your fries skinless.

2.  Place the fries in a medium sized bowl and drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil.  Toss to coat.

3.  Sprinkle corn starch on fries; toss to coat. (This step isn't essential, but it helps make the fries crispier.)

4.  Add spices (including salt) to bowl; toss to coat.

5. Arrange fries on a greased baking sheet so they are not touching.  Bake on middle oven rack for 10 minutes.  Flip fries, then bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Your fries are technically done at this point, but I like to turn on the broiler and let them toast until brown before eating them. It's your choice!

6.  Enjoy!!

Gather Ingredients

1.  Cut the sweet potato into steak fry chunks.

2.  Place in a medium sized bowl and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss to coat.

3.  Sprinkle with corn starch; toss to coat.

4.  Add spices; toss to coat.

5.  Arrange on greased baking sheet.  Bake at 450 on middle rack for 10 min.  Flip and bake an additional 10 min.  Broil to brown, if desired.

Enjoy!!  I like to dip my fries in ketchup, so I always look for a brand with all-natural ingredients that doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup.  There are quite a few out there that are really good!

Chocolate Banana Bread

Overripe bananas bring one thought to mind: BANANA BREAD!  Even though it takes over an hour to bake, I always find it worth it to take the time to mix up a batch and pop it in the oven.  Before I started my whole foods journey, my favorite banana bread recipe was from the Betty Crocker Cookbook, Bridal Edition.  This cookbook was a shower gift when Andy & I got married, and I've made the recipe several times over the past few years.  I recently adapted the recipe to eliminate processed sugar and refined flour, and I was planning to post it to the blog today.  Then, at the last minute, I decided that I wanted to add a little extra flavor to the batter.  I added some 100% cocoa and some dark chocolate chips, and - YUM! - I have a new favorite banana bread recipe!

CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

Ingredients:
3/4 cup agave nectar, or other natural sweetener
1/2 cup butter, room temp. (I usually use coconut oil, but this is for the coconut haters out there.) : )
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups overripe banana, mashed (about 3 1/2 large bananas)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk (any type, dairy or non-dairy)
1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup ground rice flour

1 1/2 cups graham flour 

1/3 cup cocoa powder*

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips*

*100% cocoa has several health benefits.   According to livestrong.com, it has 2-3 times the antioxidants found in green tea, and it can reduce blood pressure.  It can also lower LDL cholesterol levels and raise HDL cholesterol levels.  Plus, it tastes great.  Wow!

*I have to admit, this is an area where I cheat a little bit.  I just can't find dark chocolate chips that don't contain at least a little bit of refined sugar.  Whenever I buy chocolate chips, my goal is to find the brand with the highest cocoa content and the lowest sugar content.  It's not ideal, so I also limit the amount I'll use in any one recipe.

1.  Move oven rack to low, positioned so the top of the loaf pan will be in the center of the oven.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan and set aside.

2.  Mix milk and vinegar/lemon juice, set aside.  An alternative is to use 1 cup of buttermilk, but I never have it on hand so I just curdle some milk this way.

3.  Mix agave and butter.  Stir in eggs and blend.

4.  Stir in banana, milk, and vanilla.  Beat until combined.

5.  Add flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Stir until moist.  Fold in chocolate chips.

6.  Pour into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

7.  Set on cooling rack until pan is cool enough to touch.  Use a knife to loosen the loaf and remove it from the pan.  

8.  Cool until slightly warm, then slice and serve.

Gather ingredients.

Mix agave and butter.  Stir in eggs and blend.

Stir in banana, milk, and vanilla.  Beat until combined.

 Add flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Stir until moist.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes,
or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

One thing I love about this recipe is the easy clean up.  Look how empty my tiny sink is!

Set on cooling rack until pan is cool enough to touch.
Use a knife to loosen the loaf and remove it from the pan.

Cool until slightly warm, then slice and serve.

Yum!

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Yes, you read that right... chocolate AVOCADO pudding!  I first learned about this through cooking classes at a local restaurant, and I was too intrigued not to try it.  Here in the Milwaukee area, we are lucky enough to have a great organic restaurant called Cafe Manna.  It is, by far, my favorite restaurant in the world.  They use local, organic, vegetarian ingredients to create unique and flavorful dishes that change on a seasonal basis.  An added bonus is that they are willing to accommodate ANY diet.  I'm not kidding.  I went there once with a friend who has uncountable allergies: she's dairy free, gluten free, and nut free.  Cafe Manna was able to feed her.  Off the menu.  Wow!  At any rate, I was very excited when they began to offer cooking classes, and the first class I signed up for included a recipe for Chocolate Avocado Pudding.  I've since found many similar recipes online, but the recipe I'm going to share today is very close to the original Cafe Manna pudding that I first tasted over a year ago.  So, without further ado, here is the recipe that sounds so strange, but tastes so good. C'mon... you know you want to try it!

CHOCOLATE AVOCADO PUDDING

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado*
1/2 cup light agave nectar
3 Tbsp. 100% cocoa powder
3 tsp. natural Mexican vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
Sprinkle of unsweetened shredded coconut

*Avocados are soooo good for you!  See here for a list of amazing health benefits!

1.  Cut avocado in half.  Use a spoon to scoop out the "meat."

2.  Be sure to get every last bit!

3.  Add all ingredients to food processor.  Process until smooth.

4.  Top with coconut and ENJOY!

Gather Ingredients

Cut avocado in half.  Use a spoon to scoop out the "meat."

Be sure to get every last bit!

Add all ingredients to food processor.  It's funny how good this stuff is, but how bad it looks when the ingredients are just sitting there, waiting to be mixed.

Process until smooth.

Top with shredded coconut and ENJOY!