Who doesn’t love fried potatoes? A well-fried, crispy, seasoned potato is one of the best things on this planet. But it’s not that great for our bodies in the long run. While they taste like drops of heaven, we all know the devastating effects regular consumption of fried potatoes can have on our well-being. However, giving up on fried goodness is not an option. You can always choose healthy alternatives to potato fries instead of dipping into that bag of chips or ordering French fries. After all, at the end of a long, hard day, you deserve a treat.
Check out the recipes for healthy alternatives to potato fries and how you can make sure that your health and taste buds don’t suffer.
1. Sweet Potato Garlic Fries
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Ingredients:
500 gms sweet potato
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
Peel and cut the sweet potato into thin, evenly-sized pieces and soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes. You can also soak them overnight.
Preheat your oven to about 200 degrees Celsius. Prepare a large baking tray with cooking spray and set aside.
Drain the sweet potato slices and blot them dry. Drizzle olive oil on the slices once they’re completely dry.
For seasoning, mix cornstarch, garlic powder and black pepper. Cover the sweet potato slices in this mixture and toss till all the pieces are evenly covered.
Spread out the sweet potato slices on the baking sheet properly so that they don’t cover each other. Bake for about 15 minutes, take out the tray and flip each slice on the tray. Bake for another 10-12 minutes.
Serve with dip of choice.
2. Carrot Fries
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Ingredients:
5-6 carrots
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Peel and wash carrots. Slice them into thin, even slices. Put the slices in a large bowl and toss the remaining ingredients on them. Mix well so that all the slices are evenly coated.
Place the slices on a large baking sheet and spread them out properly so that they don’t overlap. Bake them for about 10 minutes and take the baking tray out. Flip each slice and put them back in the oven for another 10 minutes, or until they crisp up.
Serve warm.
3. Cheesy Zucchini Fries
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Ingredients:
3 zucchinis
2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups bread crumbs
2 large eggs
Salt, to taste
Cooking oil of choice
Method:
Cut the zucchini into even slices and keep them aside.
Pour oil into a pan, enough for deep frying, and heat over a medium flame. While the oil is heating up, mix the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs.
One by one, dip the zucchini slices in the eggs and gently shake off any excess. Once the zucchini slice is completely covered in egg, dip it into the bowl with the bread crumbs mixture. Ensure that the crumbs coat each slice completely and evenly. Place each slice on a large tray.
When the oil is hot enough, gently drop each slice into the oil and fry for about 3-4 minutes or until they’re golden brown in colour.
Take out each zucchini fry and place it on a paper towel to get rid of any excess oil. If you have any cheese left over, sprinkle it on the fries and serve hot. You can also garnish with herbs of your choice.
4. Spinach Lime Chips
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Ingredients:
10 cups whole spinach leaves
2 tsp lime juice
2 tbsp lime zest
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
Method:
Wash the spinach leaves and leave them aside to dry. Preheat the oven to 135 degrees Celsius. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix the zest and sea salt. In a separate bowl, put the spinach leaves and drizzle olive oil over them. Ensure they’re evenly coated. Add the zest and salt mixture to this and combine well. You can also use your hands to make sure the mixture is distributed evenly.
Spread the spinach leaves on the two baking sheets, leaving distance between each leaf. Sprinkle with lime juice. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Check to see if spinach leaves have withered and remove from oven.
Serve warm.
5. Apple Cinnamon Chips
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Ingredients:
2 apples
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp sugar
Method:
Yes, this recipe has sugar but that’s fine in such small quantities. Wash the apples and remove the core. Slice them thinly and spread them out a baking sheet.
Preheat oven to 110 degrees Celsius. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Once combined, sprinkle this mix on the apple slices.
Bake the apple slices for 40-50 minutes or until you see the edges curl. Take them out of the oven and let them cool and crisp up.
Serve as a snack or a dessert.
6. Baked Green Beans
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Ingredients:
30-40 green beans
1 tbsp maida
1 egg
1 cup bread crumbs
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
Garlic powder
Salt, to taste
Method:
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Wash the beans thoroughly, let them dry and cut off the ends. Mix the cheese, bread crumbs, salt and garlic powder.
In a shallow dish, whisk the egg and dip the beans in it. Coat each bean with the bread crumbs mixture.
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place the beans on the sheet and space them out.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the beans start browning.
Serve fresh out of the oven.
7. Colocasia (arbi) Chips
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Ingredients:
7-8 arbi
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooking oil of choice
Method:
Wash the arbi well and boil it in a pressure cooker for one whistle. Do not overcook. Open the pressure cooker immediately and let the arbi cool. Peel the arbi once it’s cool enough to handle. Cut the arbi into medium thin slices.
Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Drop the arbi slices carefully and gently into the oil once it’s hot enough. Cook till the slices are golden brown on both sides. Take them out of the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to get rid of any excess oil.
Sprinkle the spices, salt and pepper on the slices, and serve.
8. Eggplant Fries
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Ingredients:
1 eggplant, cut into 1/4th inch slices
1/2 cup maida
2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup cheese, grated
1 tsp herbs of choice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. In a bowl, whisk the eggs lightly. In another bowl, mix the bread crumbs, grated cheese, herbs, salt and pepper.
Cover the eggplant slices in the flour and dip them in the eggs. Next, coat each slice with the bread crumbs mixture. Place the slices on a baking tray, ensuring they don’t touch each other.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the eggplant fries are golden brown.
Serve warm.
Why compromise on your evening snacks when you have so many healthy alternatives to potato fries? Click here for a variety of delicious dips that you can make along with these fries.
