I truly live for any and all potato recipes! Fries are one of those incredible staples in the here in the US that I could eat every day! In fact, I do consume fries with my lunch most days! I usually share my lunches on over on Instagram @justinecooksvegan.
I call it the salad and fries lunch combo.
I make healthier fries, aka not actually “fried” and in this case without using any oil at all. With just a little technique and “secret” ingredients make these the crispiest fries you’ll ever have. You truly won’t believe they use no oil or fat.
Often times potatoes are seen as a food to avoid but they’re one of the best carbohydrates we can consume.
Often we think of potatoes or fries as unhealthy because they are deep fried in vegetables oils that are rancid and/or paired with a ton of dairy and table salt. When you take those out of the equation you have an incredibly nutrient dense healthy food.
Potatoes are a great way to stabilize blood sugar and something that has truly changed my health dramatically by reincorporating more potatoes into my lifestyle.
Not many people realize how many health benefits potatoes have including being anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal so a great way to keep your immune system up.
Consuming potato without fat aka oil is a great for liver health, so I definitely recommend having these fries with an oil free salad for lunch. I try to have this meal at least once a week!
The trick to getting these fries crispy and still tender on the inside is by steaming them for several minutes first. By doing this the starch of the potato also form a sort layer around the potatoes and makes them naturally crisp up when you bake them.
My other “secret” ingredient is to coat them in a little maple syrup. Maple syrup has a similar texture to oil which helps to coat the potatoes but also adds to the flavor.
Some of the best French fries from McDonalds to a high end restaurant use some type of sugar in their fries, it gives it a slight sweetness that pairs so perfectly with the salty savoriness. Adding maple syrup achieves both of these things and is a great unrefined sugar alternative sugar.
FAQs
Can I skip the steaming process?
The steaming process is really the trick in making these fries so crispy and perfect. It only takes several minutes to do and really makes all the difference.
What are the best spices on fries?
For these fries I love to stick with garlic powder, onion and oregano. It’s a simply mixture that creates a lot of flavor. However, this is completely customizable. I also love these with chili powder and cayenne! The flavors are really endless so feel free to play around and add your favorite spices!
I love to pair these fries with my homemade ketchup, which is a also completely oil free recipe!
- 2 russet potatoes, cleaned and thinly sliced into ¼ in. slices
- 1-2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- Add your sliced potatoes to a steamer and steam for 5 minutes.
- Strain to a colander and add to a large bowl.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until thoroughly coated.
- Place your fries into an air fryer set at 400F for 20 mins, shaking or flipping every 5 minutes.
- Cool and enjoy!
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