Baked Butternut Squash Fries

These baked butternut squash fries are SO good, SO easy, and SO healthy! As you may know, most fries are basically fried russet potatoes with lots of salt. They are usually fried in vegetable oils, which are not stable at high temperatures, so they become toxic to your system! My fries are baked in coconut oil, which is stable at much higher temperatures. It is a medium chain fatty acid, which is easy to process and use as energy. That means you’re less likely to store it as fat! Coconut oil also helps you process sugars and has anti-microbial properties.

Beyond the oil in normal fries, the potatoes themselves are a big problem! Russets are as high on the Glycemic Index (GI) as sugar! What a great way to destroy your pancreas and develop or perpetuate diabetes! Butternut squash is high in vitamins A and C, and is much lower on the GI than russet potatoes or sugar. It comes in at a mere 51 (russets are over 100).

I was surprised (and a little disappointed, because it meant I got less) that my kids loved these fries! Adapting children’s unhealthy favorite foods into healthier versions will help them establish good eating habits, both now, and later on. Don’t teach them to live without tasty food, teach them to make it healthier! Here’s the recipe:

Serves 4-6

1 Butternut Squash, cut into fry shaped pieces
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, Melted
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tsp Organic Garlic Powder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line your baking sheets with foil and use a pastry brush to coat the foil with your melted coconut oil. Sprinkle the layer of coconut oil with half of the sea salt and garlic powder. Spread the squash out on the oil, brush them with the remaining coconut oil, and sprinkle them with the remaining salt and garlic. Bake until they’re brown on the bottom (about 30 minutes). Enjoy!