Foodie Friday: Jicama Fries

Jicama Fries -- Copyright 2012 by Michelle Loy, MPH, MS, RD, CSSD - Go Wellness

Not only is today Friday the 13th, but it is also apparently National French Fry Day.  What better way to celebrate than to share a new, healthier twist on an old favorite?  I will admit that I do enjoy the real fry deal on occasion, but I've found a way to satisfy that taste for fries in a very gratifying way at home.  My latest discovery has been jicama fries.  I'll be honest.  The way I've most frequently enjoyed jicama has been served raw in salads, so it's a veggie I'm just beginning to explore.  Known as the "Mexican potato", jicama is a root veggie that's like a cross between a potato and a very mild apple with its crunchy texture and hint of sweetness.  It's a great way to help satisfy your fluid needs through food since it's mostly water, about 90%! It also contains 6 filling grams of fiber per cup and is high in vitamin C.  It works well raw or cooked, like in stir fries.  Since I've made fries using other veggies, like sweet potatoes and carrots, I thought, "Why not try jicama, too?".  It turns out these jicama fries are a pleasant surprise for my entire fam.  Not only do they offer a tasty, unique twist on the good ol' fry, but they're also very easy to prep and cook.  Try them out and let me know what you think.  Are you a fan of jicama?  What's your favorite way to enjoy it?

Jicama Fries

{Print recipe}
Ingredients:
1/2 small-medium jicama, cut into about 1/4-in thick sticks about 3-4-inches long -- For help on cutting up the jicama, I suggest this tutorial.
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and turmeric, to taste (I don't measure here but probably use about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp of the other seasonings/spices.)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375F.  Combine olive oil and spices in a medium bowl.  Toss jicama sticks into the bowl to coat evenly.
2.  Place jicama sticks onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or on a wire rack (I use a wire rack for even heating without having to flip them mid-way through baking.)  Make sure that the sticks have enough space around them so that they don't touch one another.
3.  If baking directly on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, bake for 15 minutes.  Then flip the fries over and bake for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown in color.  If baking on a wire rack, then you can just bake continuously for 25 minutes, or until golden brown in color.  Remove from oven and enjoy!

Serves:  4
Nutritional Information:
Calories:  117   Carbohydrate:  20 g   Protein:  1.7 g   Fat:  3.6 g   Cholesterol: 0 mg   Fiber:  11 g   Sugar (natural):  4 g   Sodium:  156 mg
Excellent source of:  vitamin C
Good source of:  vitamin E, magnesium