French Fries and Freedom Fries enjoy guilt-free romance
Author: Brandia Deatherage | Published: May 27th, 2011
With each meal, I am more and more convinced that happy eating is healthy eating. The stress produced by keeping to a strict, joyless diet is more damaging to your body, from my experience, than eating, say, fats or carbs every once in a while. A burger and fries may sound like an invitation to obesity or a heart attack; but not eating a burger and fries is a definite summons to every illness for which stress is listed as a causing factor.
Perhaps the thought of ingesting calories, however, stresses you out more than avoiding them. But there are ways--yes, there are ways--to eat a guilt-free burger and fries. One trick is to add green, such as a sprinkle of fresh parsley, where there would normally only be starchy white. The color green tells your brain that you are getting your vitamins, so all is well. Another trick is to replace the cow-meat patty with a veggie burger. Going vegetarian tells your brain that you are concerned with more important issues than dieting; that you have more significant, enduring positive qualities than a perfect hip-to-waist ratio. A third trick is to glamorize what would typically be a dumbed-down version of an authentic, non-native dish, by reintroducing part of the original recipe. For example, you should dip your fries in mayonnaise, as do the French, rather than ketchup, as we do in the States. Being thus cultured tells your brain that you are less likely than the average American to become overweight, since you are modeling the behavior of foreigners, who are notoriously thin.
FYI: I've been vegetarian for nearly six days now, and I don't even miss meat with meals like these:
The burger is a MorningStar Farms Grillers Original, with melted extra-sharp white cheddar, on a toasted all-natural wheat bun, with sautéed mushrooms and onions, baby romaine lettuce, tomatoes, veganaise and spicy-brown mustard. On the MorningStar box, they claim to be "Better than Boca," which seems to be true. After sautéing the burger on high heat, its edges took on the crispiness of real flame-broiled hamburger, and its substantial texture and flavor left me fully satisfied.
Furthermore, I felt so innocent when eating these French fries that I might as well have been munching down steamed asparagus. I felt wonderfully, daintily French and free of the guilt and stress that weigh upon a typical dieter. For this reason, I call this delectable invention my French Freedom Fries.
French Freedom Fries
Ingredients
Russet Potatoes, 4 large, peeled and cut into ¼-inch wedges
Peanut Oil, 2 quarts
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Fresh Parsley, 1 cup, rinsed and chopped
Directions
1. Rinse cut potatoes in a large bowl with lots of cold running water until water becomes clear. Cover with water by 1-inch and cover with ice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
2. In a deep-fryer, heat the oil to 325 degrees F. Be sure not to fill the oil beyond the maximum fill line.
3. Drain ice water from cut fries and wrap potato pieces in a clean dishcloth or tea towel and thoroughly pat dry. Add fries, a handful at a time, to the hot oil. Fry, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are soft and limp and begin to turn a blond color, about 6 to 8 minutes. Use the basket to carefully remove fries from the oil and set aside to drain on paper towels. Let rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours.
4. When ready to serve the French fries, reheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Transfer the blanched potatoes to the hot oil and fry again, stirring frequently, until golden brown and puffed, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to paper lined platter and sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley, while still hot and oiled. Serve immediately.
Lemon Mayonnaise
Ingredients
Mayonnaise, ½ cup
Fresh Lemon Juice, 1 T
Cayenne Pepper, ½ t.
Directions
1. Mix together and serve with fries!
This article provided courtesy of our sister site: Beaufort County Now
Perhaps the thought of ingesting calories, however, stresses you out more than avoiding them. But there are ways--yes, there are ways--to eat a guilt-free burger and fries. One trick is to add green, such as a sprinkle of fresh parsley, where there would normally only be starchy white. The color green tells your brain that you are getting your vitamins, so all is well. Another trick is to replace the cow-meat patty with a veggie burger. Going vegetarian tells your brain that you are concerned with more important issues than dieting; that you have more significant, enduring positive qualities than a perfect hip-to-waist ratio. A third trick is to glamorize what would typically be a dumbed-down version of an authentic, non-native dish, by reintroducing part of the original recipe. For example, you should dip your fries in mayonnaise, as do the French, rather than ketchup, as we do in the States. Being thus cultured tells your brain that you are less likely than the average American to become overweight, since you are modeling the behavior of foreigners, who are notoriously thin.
FYI: I've been vegetarian for nearly six days now, and I don't even miss meat with meals like these:
The burger is a MorningStar Farms Grillers Original, with melted extra-sharp white cheddar, on a toasted all-natural wheat bun, with sautéed mushrooms and onions, baby romaine lettuce, tomatoes, veganaise and spicy-brown mustard. On the MorningStar box, they claim to be "Better than Boca," which seems to be true. After sautéing the burger on high heat, its edges took on the crispiness of real flame-broiled hamburger, and its substantial texture and flavor left me fully satisfied.
Furthermore, I felt so innocent when eating these French fries that I might as well have been munching down steamed asparagus. I felt wonderfully, daintily French and free of the guilt and stress that weigh upon a typical dieter. For this reason, I call this delectable invention my French Freedom Fries.
Ingredients
Russet Potatoes, 4 large, peeled and cut into ¼-inch wedges
Peanut Oil, 2 quarts
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Fresh Parsley, 1 cup, rinsed and chopped
Directions
1. Rinse cut potatoes in a large bowl with lots of cold running water until water becomes clear. Cover with water by 1-inch and cover with ice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
2. In a deep-fryer, heat the oil to 325 degrees F. Be sure not to fill the oil beyond the maximum fill line.
3. Drain ice water from cut fries and wrap potato pieces in a clean dishcloth or tea towel and thoroughly pat dry. Add fries, a handful at a time, to the hot oil. Fry, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are soft and limp and begin to turn a blond color, about 6 to 8 minutes. Use the basket to carefully remove fries from the oil and set aside to drain on paper towels. Let rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours.
4. When ready to serve the French fries, reheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Transfer the blanched potatoes to the hot oil and fry again, stirring frequently, until golden brown and puffed, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to paper lined platter and sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley, while still hot and oiled. Serve immediately.
Lemon Mayonnaise
Ingredients
Mayonnaise, ½ cup
Fresh Lemon Juice, 1 T
Cayenne Pepper, ½ t.
Directions
1. Mix together and serve with fries!
This article provided courtesy of our sister site: Beaufort County Now
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