Healthy baked sweet potato fries need very little to motivate your taste buds, and when they’re paired with an exciting smoky-sweet sauce, they’re catapulted straight into Irresistible Category. But believe it or not, this sauce doesn’t only add flavor, it also adds valuable anti-aging benefits thanks to its antioxidant-rich superfood boost of acai, as well as lime and pineapple juices, which add stores of skin-friendly vitamin C. Even sweet potatoes can help protect your skin against damage due to their high quantities of beta carotene!
Here’s how to make this easy dish that will have you quickly obsessed: complete with its beautifying (and addicting) “secret sauce,” along with some good-n’-simple baked fries.
Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Acai-Chili Sauce
This recipe makes more Acai-Chili Sauce then you’ll need for the fries, but its spicy-sweet-smoky flavor makes for a superb condiment to have lying around. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and use it as a dip, toss with cooked vegetables, or enjoy as a sandwich or burger spread.
Makes 3-4 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch fries
Sea salt and ground black pepper
4 large Medjool dates, pitted
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce*
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoons onion powder
2 tablespoons acai powder
¾ cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Divide the fries onto 2 baking sheets, and drizzle each pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, toss the fries well, and spread into a flat layer. Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking, or until fries are golden-brown and crispy on the outside.
Meanwhile, soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes to soften. Drain, then add to a blender along with the chipotle chili, adobo sauce, tomato paste, onion powder, acai powder, pineapple juice, lime juice, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Blend until completely smooth, adding a tablespoon or two of water if needed to thin.
Serving Suggestion: Serve the fries with a side of the Acai-Chili Sauce for dipping, and top with lime juice, fresh cilantro, and cashew-based or other non-dairy “chevre.”
*What the heck is “chipotle chili in adobo sauce,” you ask? A common addition to Central American cooking, this inexpensive canned or jarred pepper medley offers a medium heat level that adds deep smoky flavor to recipes. Even better, it’s like getting two ingredients in one, as both the chipotle chilis themselves, and the adobo chili sauce in which they reside, can be used in recipes. You can usually find this ingredient in the “Hispanic foods” or “international foods” section of your local store, or order it online.