Root Vegetable Fries

A craving for fries deserves a real answer, and this is it. White potatoes are a nightshade and stay off the Core AIP plate for now, but sweet potato, beet, and carrot make a fry that crisps at the edges and stays sweet in the middle. This is the kind of dish that makes eating this way feel like a genuine lifestyle: a real answer to a real craving, built from foods that already belong here.

These roots earn their place. Sweet potato and carrot are a gentle source of beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A, involved in immune and mucosal health, and beets bring fiber and their deep pigment, a colorful plant compound studied for its role in a calmer inflammatory response. A plate of fries that is also quietly doing this work is a good trade.

Cut them by hand or with a mandoline, and notice the 3 colors as you go: orange, deep red, and gold. When they come out of the oven, let them cool for a minute and look at the tray before you eat. Real roots, cut and roasted with a little care, are worth a breath of gratitude before the first bite.

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato, cut into fry shapes
• 1 large beet, cut into fry shapes
• 2 carrots, cut into fry shapes
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt

There is no white potato here, so the nightshade question is already handled; these roots are all elimination-friendly. The source also lists 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, which we omit because black pepper is held back during the elimination phase. Add it back once you have reintroduced it without trouble.

Method

• Heat the oven to 400F.
• Cut the vegetables into even fry shapes, a mandoline helps, and toss them in a bowl with the coconut oil, oregano, parsley, and salt.
• Spread the fries in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan, giving them room so they crisp rather than steam.
• Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring at the halfway point, and pull them at the first sign of browning at the edges.

Air fryer variation

The air fryer is excellent for vegetable fries. Cook at around 400F in a single, uncrowded layer, shaking the basket once or twice, and check for crisp edges at around 12 to 18 minutes. Work in batches if you need to. This time is an untested conversion, so watch the first batch and adjust in your own kitchen.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*