Healthy and Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Having gone to college in the South, I have had my fair share of sweet potato french fries. The idea is genius, a little bit salty and a little bit sweet. But, as we all know, they are still deep fried and full of fat and calories (darn!). I decided to create a recipe for baked sweet potato fries that are also spicy and salty, the triple threat of french fries: spicy, sweet, and salty! 

An added bonus is that sweet potatoes are full of important nutrients such as vitamin A. Half a cup of sweet potato has 106% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin A for males and 137% of the RDA for women, wow! Vitamin A is essential in our daily nutrient intake for many body functions. Vitamin A assists in enhancing night blindness, improves our immune system, could prevent cancer, and prevents acne. Vitamin A is also essential in the growth and development of many proteins by binding to DNA receptors to increase protein synthesis. Further, vitamin A helps with the formation of bones and improves the health of the epithelial cells which line many internal and external surfaces of the body, such as the lungs. 

So the next time you are craving fries, skip the fast food restaurant and make these delicious baked fries. You will be cutting out fat and calories, as well as consuming your daily allowance of vitamin A! 

*Sources: Contemporary Nutrition: A Functional Approach by Wardlaw, Smith and Collene. 

Triple Threat Sweet Potato Fries 
Recipe by: The Cheerful Cook 
Total time: 45 minutes 
Serves: 4-6 

Ingredients 
3 medium sweet potatoes, rinsed and cut into wedges
2 tablespoon olive oil 
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon chili powder 
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/8 cayenne pepper
kosher salt
pepper 

Directions 
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly wash potatoes and cut into steak fry wedges. 
2. Mix brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, tumeric, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a bowl and set aside. 
3. Lay potatoes on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and half of the brown sugar mixture. Make sure potatoes are coated on both sides. 
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes total, making sure to turn fries over halfway through the cooking process.
5. Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar mixture after baking.