Yams

Chris and I eat pretty healthy most of time - but I'm trying to get more veggies into our diet. I came across a recipe on how to make sweet potato french fries. I'm not a big fan (at least of the Thanksgiving casserole variety) but I have had sweet potato fries and chips before and thought they were pretty good. At the grocery store yesterday, I accidentally bought yams instead of sweet potatoes. I've always thought the two were the same veggie - but they're slightly different.

Yams are high in Vitamin C, dietary fiber, Vitamin B6, potassium, and manganese; while being low in saturated fat and sodium.They also generally have a lower glycemic index than potatoes, which means that they will provide a more sustained form of energy, and give better protection against obesity and diabetes. (via wikipedia)

Neither one of us had ever eaten a yam before, so we didn't know what to expect. They were YUMM! I usually stick to the veggies I know we like and not try anything new, but we might be a little more adventurous next time! I think if you didn't tell people what you did, they would have no idea it was a yam instead of a potato (and it's healthier!)

Here's what I did:

• Wash and cut about three yams into french fry size. (This step probably took as long as baking them did)

• Put fries into a large mixing bowl. Tossed with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic powder and Mexican seasonings.

• Bake for a total of 20 minutes at 450 (after ten minutes, flip fries over). Then throw broiler on for a couple minutes to make them crispy.

Enjoy!