Oven Baked Parsnip Fries

It’s no secret that I love French fries. Plain and simple, with or without toppings, fries are my thing! Over the years, I searched high and low to find healthier ways of cooking and suitable alternatives to this widely popular side dish. I switched from frying to baking. I changed from Vegetable and Canola oil to Olive oil. I substituted potatoes for…..parsnips! Yes, parsnips, aka the white carrots! While I did know about this vegetable and enjoyed it in soups growing up, I had no idea how delicious it could be when cut up French Frie-style and baked in the oven.

A quick Google Search revealed that parsnips contain a wide variety of vitamins and nutrients, including dietary fiber, folate, and vitamin C. In addition, it also has healthy levels of minerals like iron, calcium, copper, and potassium. Turns out eating parsnips regularly can boost immunity and help with asthma, arthritis, and ulcers. Parsnips are also an amazing fat-burning food, thus helping with weight loss and reducing cellulite. Need I say more?

Ingredients:

4 big parsnip roots

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder (or to taste)

1 tsp Salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp Pepper (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Rinse the parsnip roots in cold water and peel the skin off using a potato peeler. Trim off the ends. Cut each parsnip in half, then cut each piece into sticks. The thinner these are, the crispier the fries will be.

Toss the parsnip sticks with olive oil and place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 20-25 min.

Mix the garlic powder with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the fries when done. Enjoy!