Bye-Bye Mr. Fry: Six Healthy Alternatives for French Fries

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I’ve never met a french fry I didn’t love and I’ve never met a person who doesn’t feel the same. As delicious as fries may be, they’re a huge hazard for your waistline. (A large fast food portion rakes in a whopping 500 calories!) Next time you’re craving a big ol' plate of fries, forego the drive-thru and try one of these six unconventional approaches to the standard fry.

Parsnip Fries: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Peel parsnips and cut into fries. Toss 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a dash of salt and chili powder in a large bowl. Add in parsnips and toss to evenly coat. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet evenly spaced in a single layer. Roast for 40 minutes, tossing once at the halfway point. Serve warm with light sour cream or ketchup as a dipping sauce.

Portabella Mushrooms: Slice mushrooms into 1/2-inch thick slices. On a large plate, mix together 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and your favorite Italian spice blend. In a bowl, whisk together eggs. Dip mushroom slices in eggs and then breadcrumbs. Place on a wax paper-lined and greased baking sheet. Bake in a 425°F oven for 12 minutes. Flip once.

Rutabagas: Preheat oven to 400°F and slice peeled rutabaga into fry-sized pieces. Spray with cooking spray (or a drizzle of olive oil) and toss with salt and red chili powder. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping once.

Zucchini: Preheat oven to 425° and slice two zucchinis into 3-inch sticks. Whisk one egg white with a drizzle of milk. Combine 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/2-cup breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. Dip zucchinis into egg mixture, and then roll in breadcrumb mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until crisp and brown.

Chickpeas: (Even though chickpeas aren’t finger-shaped like fries, they have a similar hearty crunchiness to fries.) Preheat oven to 400°F. Drain and rinse one can of chickpeas and dry thoroughly. Pat dry. Toss peas in with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and spices of your choice. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until crispy. While baking, shake pan or stir chickpeas to avoid burning.

Edited by Jody Smith

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Anonymous

HI Shyla - LOVED the parsnip fries and the chick peas were great too. My one question - how do you make them crispier (esp the chick peas)? Thanks for the writing.

August 7, 2011 - 6:12pm

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.