Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Burger and fries. Peanut butter and jelly. Pancakes and syrup. Great things often come in pairs but usually end up as double trouble for your body. We all want to look great, but we don’t want to give up the taste of our favorite foods. Now you don’t have to. It’s all about making wise decisions and simple changes to your meals.

Instead of those greasy burgers, go with lean turkey patties instead—or substitute sweet potatoes for white. And bake your fries rather than deep-frying them. You’ll get that same great taste while cutting out all the unwanted fat. Sweet potatoes are loaded with cancer-fighting enzymes, calcium, potassium and vitamins A and C. Be sure to eat the skin; it’s the best part and packed with fiber. For a postworkout snack you can’t do better than pairing sweet potatoes and chicken.

Baked Sweet

Potato Fries

2 medium sweet potatoes

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray

Pepper, garlic, cinnamon to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the potatoes into fries or slice with a crinkle knife. Toss the potatoes into a ziplock bag and coat with seasonings and butter spray. Shake well.

Spray the baking sheet with nonstick spray. Place the potato pieces on the baking sheet one inch apart.

Bake 30 minutes or until slightly tender and crisp. Serves two.

Each serving: calories, 100; fat, 0 grams; carbohydrate, 20 grams; protein, 2 grams; sodium, 2 milligrams

—Taylor Matheny

Editor’s note: Taylor Matheny is a Los Angeles–based fitness trainer and chef. She studied sports nutrition while learning culinary techniques and is certified in personal training and sports nutrition. Finding herself in the bodybuilding industry—she’s also an NPC bikini competitor—she honed her cooking skills on contest diets. Currently she works as a personal chef in Los Angeles and is a spokesmodel for Myogenix. Send questions or comments to taylormathenythefitnesschef@gmail.com.