baked sweet potato fries

baked sweet potato fries can be tough to turn out… sometimes they come out soggy or undercooked, and on the flip side, they can burn quickly with high temperatures. i have tried a bunch of different methods, and i’ve recently found that the trick is in adding a little starch to help the potatoes crisp!

a starch that is used frequently in paleo baking and cooking is tapioca starch. it’s a grain-free alternative to corn starch, and it’s the trick to making baked sweet potato fries that get crispy on the outside and are fully cooked on the inside. because let’s be honest, who wants a soggy french fry that flops over when you pick it up? just no.

making these fries couldn’t be easier or require less ingredients and effort. literally all you have to do is chop the potato, coat it in olive oil, tapioca, and s&p, and put it in the oven for 40ish minutes. then you are DONE.

depending on how many fries you wanna end up with, use 1 or more sweet potatoes. first step (ALWAYS) in cooking with a sweet potato is giving it a solid scrub under water… these came from the ground and are covered in nasty ish. then, use a good knife to cut into fry shapes, obviously, and throw in a bowl. toss the sweet potato strips with olive oil, about 1-2 tsp tapioca starch, salt and pepper, and maybe some garlic powder. spread them into an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, & bake on 425F for 40ish minutes. keep your eye on them to watch for crispy edges, and save them before they get burnt!

eat right away [after cooling] with your fave dipping sauce or keep in the fridge for up to ~ 5 days. reheat in the oven or broiler to maintain crispiness. devour!!


INGREDIENTS >>

– 1 to 3 large sweet potatoes

– 1-2 tbsp olive oil

– 1 to 2 tsp tapioca starch, to coat

– garlic powder, to sprinkle

– salt & pepper, to sprinkle

HOW TO MAKE >>

  • set oven to 425F
  • using a good knife, cut the sweet potato(es) into strips
  • place potato strips in a mixing bowl. toss with olive oil, to coat.
  • add in tapioca starch, garlic powder, salt & pepper to potatoes, and toss to evenly coat.
  • place pre- fries in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, allowing each one to have it’s own space.
  • bake on 425F for 40ish minutes.
  • keep your eye on them to watch for crispy edges, & save them before they get burnt!
  • enjoy with your fave dipping sauce, or save in the fridge for up to ~ 5 days!
  • ( to reheat later, use broiler or high temp baking to maintain crispiness )


classic banana bread (paleo)

i am beyond excited that i have FINALLY achieved a complete replica of my mom’s traditional banana bread !! mine uses a different flour and some other substitutes, but even she said that this one tastes exactly like hers!!

we always had banana bread or zucchini bread in the kitchen when we were younger, thx mom for baking weekly 😉

this banana bread is legit the perfect texture. it’s not grainy like baked goods can be with certain GF flours; it’s also not doughy or super dense like other paleo baked goods are when there is less flour involved, i mean it when i say it’s literally perfect.

i considered using organic cane sugar for this bread in order to make it JUST like the recipe of my mom’s… but i decided not to when i came to the realization that the main reason i wanted to do that was for the sake of the color of the inside of the bread. no. chose to stick to my intention of keeping it refined-sugar free, and it truly couldn’t have turned out better. i went with coconut sugar for the sweetener, used a dairy-free butter (myokos!) instead of regular, and used Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour (all purpose flour mixture, 1:1 sub for regular all purpose flour… yesss). the flour mixture (Bob’s Red Mill Paleo) is key in this recipe, so any other flours likely will not substitute accurately for the same ratio. be careful, i’d recommend follow this recipe with this flour! [or if you don’t care so much about it being grain and gluten free, you could use regular AP flour]

C L A S S I C banana bread has been a challenge for me to recreate in a grain-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar free form, but i finally did it and it’s perfect in all ways!!


INGREDIENTS >

> 1 cup coconut sugar

> 1/3 cup dairy-free butter (myokos vegan butter), softened

> 2 eggs

> 1 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (3-4 medium ripe bananas)

> 1/3 cup water

> 1 2/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour (1:1 flour sub)

> 1 tsp baking soda

> 1/2 tsp salt

> 1/4 tsp baking powder

HOW TO MAKE >

  • set oven to 350F. line a 9×5 bread pan with parchment paper, & oil the parchment.
  • mash bananas with fork/whisk/mixer until smooth; set aside.
  • cream DF butter + coconut suar together with mixture until combined.
  • add in eggs, mix until smooth.
  • add in the mashed bananas + water at this time, and combine until incorporated.
  • mix paleo flour mixture, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
  • incorporate the flour mixture into the wet mixture in sections, mix until combined.
  • pour banana bread batter into greased/lined 9×5 bread baking pan.
  • bake on 350F for 50min-1hr or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean!!
  • let cool before cutting, then enjoy!!

* other flours likely will not substitute accurately here, use the one mentioned!



tahini banana nut bread

new banana bread on the loose!! i kind of dressed up my normal banana bread recipe with some additional add-ins… so decided to make a new recipe out of it!

the differences in this banana bread start with less flax & a little more almond flour + when it comes to additions — i threw in chopped walnuts, additional CINNAMON (hello hi fall), & the best one yet, chopped fresh banana pieces. big YES

this is also different from the banana nut muffins on my blog cause i didn’t use any mix this time… all individual ingredients and measurements, all came out to reflect the perfect BANANA NUT flavor i grew up on.

so in banana bread, of course, there is already banana mashed up and mixed into the entire batter, but something in me told me i needed more banana this time, so i used a perfectly ripened, yellow banana, sliced it down the middle and then into chunks, and tossed them into the batter with the walnuts. i stirred gently, saw the chunks in every turn, and knew it was gonna be perf.

left chocolate chips out of this round cause i really wanted to see how it came out as banana nut bread. it’s perfect, let me just say. chocolate chips will only make it 100x better, so go for it if you want!

here’s the full recipe — TAHINI BANANA NUT BREAD.


INGREDIENTS >>

-2-3 mashed, ripened/overripe banana

-1/3 cup tahini

-1/3 cup maple syrup

-1/3 cup almond milk

-2 tbsp coconut sugar

-2 tsp vanilla extract

-1 egg

-2 cups almond flour

-1/4 cup ground flaxseed

-1 tsp baking powder

-1 tbsp cinnamon

-handful of walnuts, chopped

-1 banana, sliced + chopped, in chunks [not mashed]

HOW TO MAKE >>

  • set oven to 350F.
  • mix all wet ingredients together — mashed banana, tahini, egg, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract — until incorporated.
  • add coconut sugar, mix well.
  • add ground flaxseed, almond flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.
  • continue to mix until combined.
  • using a spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold in walnuts + chopped banana to batter.
  • pour into lined + greased loaf pan.
  • bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes.
  • store in refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for months!


cinnamon no-atmeal raisin cookies

oatmeal raisin is a classic cookie flavor combo, & part of what makes the cookie so good is that it’s so chewy and dense, thanks to the addition of oats. in my recipe here, i use a combination of flours with raisins and shredded unsweetened coconut in order to achieve the chewiness of an oatmeal raisin cookie, minus the oatmeal part 😉

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mango jalapeno salsa

IMG_4596mango jalapeno salsa is going to be the perfect addition to your summer lineup!!  use it as a topping to your tacos, burrito bowls, or as a dip with tortilla chips or plantain chips.  along with jalapeno and red onion, this mango situation screams summer… so let it!

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lemon poppyseed muffins

DSC_0200 can you get more springy than a lemon poppyseed muffin?!  i simply do not think so.  a light, fluffy, lemony yellow muffin, eaten as part of a breakfast, snack, or dessert, you just can’t go wrong!! my new lemon poppyseed muffins are grain-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar free, aka PALEO + delish!!

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paleo banana nut muffins w/ chocolate chips

IMG_4105the words “banana nut muffin” remind me of a very specific muffin that i used to eat a LOT when i was a lot younger.  the big muffins that came in a 3 pack and were topped with walnuts — i used to eat those for breakfast, at volleyball tournaments, any time.  they were so sweet and dense, & when i saw this SIMPLE MILLS banana mix, i knew i had to try my own version of banana nut muffins!! these are perfectly dense but still light, filled w/ walnut pieces & sweet n light banana flavor, i could go on.  here’s how to make them!

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grain-free [paleo] bagels

IMG_3730in college, an everything bagel w/ a thick layer of cream cheese or a bagel breakfast sandwich was the cure.  i can’t say that i have had either of those things in a LONG time, but that’s all about to change!! my new bagel recipe is grain-free, paleo, chewy, moist, & EASY to accomplish.  granted, these bagels are not as chewy and thick as a bagel from NY bagel or a special bake shop, but they are GOOD and they satisfy the bagel need for sure.

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paleo carrot cake loaf

DSC_0070so carrot cake is like THE cake that is a true treat in my mind.  i don’t know if it’s the cream cheese frosting or the multiple additions of raisins, walnuts, or even coconut/pineapple, but every time i hear or see or eat carrot cake, i want some more.  this loaf is truly PERFECT for any day of the week as a breakfast, snack, or dessert, because it checks off all those boxes and fixes the craving, but it isn’t as heavy or sweetened as a full on cake might be.  it’s a recipe that’s honestly just necessary, and i’m SO EXCITED to share it today!

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sesame basil beef stir fry

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stir fry is a sneaky thing.  in my book, it’s sneaky in the sense of being absolutely PACKED with vegetables & minimally fluffed with excess/unnecessary extras. this sesame basil beef stir fry is hands down my favorite thing i’ve come up with [as of this moment] because it is JUST SO TASTY & is so simple!! each + every time i have made this, i am surprised by the deep flavors of the sauce, vegetables, & steak — all separately & more together!

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