Butternut Squash Fries Trial: Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free

In the August/September issue of Living Without, they had an article filled with recipes for picky eaters, especially those with autism. I was really surprised to see Butternut Squash Fries in their list. There is no way orange french fries would fool my autistic brother. However, I thought it might work for my veggie-hating family. My husband was skeptical when I told him we were having butternut squash for dinner, until I told him they were in fry form. That made them more acceptable.

The Changes

I didn’t make any changes, since this recipe is naturally Joseph-safe. I also wanted to see what it was like on its own before experimenting with adding other spices.

The Method

The recipe says to peel the squash and then cut it into fry shapes. I found it easier to cut the squash first, and then cut the skin off. You’ll want to cut the squash into as uniform pieces as possible, though that gets hard around the curved round part. Toss the cut pieces in a bowl with olive oil, then spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

Bake at 425 degrees, flipping once part way. I baked mine for 30 minutes, and as you can see, it burned the thinner pieces. So, keep an eye on things, and adapt your cooking time based on how thin you cut your fries. They’ll be done when they’re starting to brown.

Butternut Squash Fries

Adapted from Living Without

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free

Ingredients:

• Butternut Squash, seeded
• olive oil
• salt

Cut squash into french fry sized strips. Peel strips (or peel before cutting if you feel so inclined). Toss the strips in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat the squash evenly (about 1 Tablespoon). Spread the squash on a baking sheet so that they aren’t touching, and sprinkle with salt.

Bake at 425 degrees F for about 30 minutes, turning half way. Watch closely to prevent burning. Fries are done when they crisp up and start to brown.

Makes about 3 servings from half of the squash pictured above.

What I Thought

I was pleasantly surprised by these fries. They were crisp outside, soft and sweet inside. My daughter had to be persuaded to eat the “orange fries” but she did finish the ones on her plate. Joseph had multiple helpings of the fries. My husband enjoyed them too. These will definitely make an appearance on our table again.

Shared on Allergy Friendly Friday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday and Gluten-free Wednesdays

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