Quantity here is 2 lbs. of turnip
These turnip fries look so much like french fries that my daughter, forgetting they were made of turnip, once told her daughter, age 11, to stop eating up the whole bowl. To which my other daughter said, “Do you want her to stop eating her vegetables?”
Yep, despite being made from the humble turnip, these fries are surprisingly tasty and satisfying. They are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The exterior can be as spicy and salty as you like while interior flavour is mild. Best of all, they are healthy for you and make a terrific snack for dieters.
Taste tip: You will likely want to adjust the spices and salt to suit your palate. I’ve followed my philosophy of little or no salt and let the individual salt his or her portion. However, if you want more salt, you could replace the onion and garlic powders with onion and garlic salts. With regard to spices: I haven’t tried this personally, but you could also use curry or chili powder instead of paprika to give the fries colour and add a different flavour. And, you could also increase the amount of cheese, but that will increase the Weight Watcher points.
Recipe is based on 1 medium turnip of approximately 1 lb.
Ingredients
- 1 medium turnip (1 lb.), cut into french-fry strips
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. salt
- Cooking spray
Directions
- Put turnip strips into a large bowl and toss with oil to coat.
- If you have a shaker: fill with cheese, spices, and salt. Shake over oiled strips and toss so that strips are evenly coated.
- If you don’t have a shaker: put cheese, spices, and salt into a plastic bag. Shake to mix. Add oiled turnip strips and shake until evenly coated.
- Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Spread strips out onto the baking sheet.
- Bake in 425º F oven until outside is crispy and inside is tender when a fork is inserted, about 20-25 minutes. Steam will pour out of the strips near the end; don’t worry; you’re not setting them on fire.
- Good hot and cool.
For Weight Watchers: 2 points for per 1 lb. turnip on both the Points and PointsPlus plans.
(Adapted from “Crispy Turnip ‘Fries’” by IM COOKIN on allrecipes.com)
