Recipe Mutiny steals recipes from food blogs and recipe sites. Then we publish them. With credit (Naturally).
Friday, September 20, 2019
The Best of Pumpkins: Why They’re the Ultimate Fall Fruit
As a food, as a piece of natural art, and as an enduring symbol of fall, pumpkins are practically perfect in every way.
If you’re not certain about squash’s preeminence, please allow us to present some of the evidence in their favor: They’re incredibly healthy; they come in all sorts of enchanting shapes, shades, and sizes; almost every part is edible, from skin to seeds; they’re cooked in cuisines all over the globe; they’re great for decorating your space all fall; and they even make fantastic (if polarizing) beer that’s the alcoholic answer to the PSL!
Seriously, squash is hot. Check out all our premium pumpkin content and see if you don’t come away with a new appreciation of the almighty gourd.
How to Make Desserts Using a Whole Pumpkin
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As in, you can eat the entire thing (well, except the stem). See how to use the whole pumpkin in dessert.
An International Look at Pumpkin: How It’s Prepared Around the World
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Making grub from gourds is a global phenomenon, and for good reason. They’re nutritious, delicious, and versatile enough to star in all sorts of dishes. Get pumpkin recipes from other countries.
What’s the Difference Between Pumpkin Puree and Pumpkin Pie Filling?
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It’s a little more than just a spoonful of sugar, so be sure you always grab the right can (and know when you can substitute). Find out the finer points of canned pumpkin vs pumpkin pie filling.
Clever Ways to Decorate with Pumpkins This Fall
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Gourds are great for giving a seasonally festive feel to your home, from Halloween through Thanksgiving, no matter what your style (and ambition level). It’s worth looking at the DIY pumpkin succulent planter, at the very least. Get ideas on decorating with pumpkins for fall.
Pumpkin Pie Lies: It’s Actually Canned Squash
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Sure, it’s a matter of semantics, but we like to know exactly what we’re getting. And the history of how cucurbits ended up in pies—and in cans—in the first place is an interesting one. Discover the truth about pumpkin pie.
How Do People Grow Massive Pumpkins?
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Now, that’s a great pumpkin, Charlie Brown! Here’s how people grow those gargantuan gourds—and what it’s like to compete in giant pumpkin contests (surprisingly lucrative, in some cases). Learn the secrets to growing giant pumpkins.
What’s Actually in Pumpkin Spice? (And Why Does It Work So Well?)
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We break down the science of the flavors we fall for every autumn. Even if you don’t like ’em in your latte, these warm spices will work together to win you over. See what pumpkin spice is made of.
Love It or Loathe It, Pumpkin Beer Is a Fall Staple, and Older Than You May Think
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Turns out, you might have George Washington to thank—or blame—for pumpkin beer! And is there actually pumpkin in it? Slake your thirst for knowledge and find out how pumpkin beer is made and who invented it.
From Blue to Cheese, Get to Know These Under-the-Radar Pumpkin and Squash Varieties
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These unusual squashes are eye-catching and palate-pleasing, but they can be hard to find, so get thee to a pumpkin patch, posthaste. Or take a virtual tour of interesting and uncommon kinds of winter squash.
Corn Boxes, Pig Races, and a Pumpkin-Eating Dinosaur: The Wonders of an Over-the-Top Fall Pumpkin Festival
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Even more reasons to locate your local pumpkin farm, ASAP! And even if you don’t have a kid to entertain, your inner child will have tons of fun (plus, you can pick up delicious things to eat along the way). See what you might find at a pumpkin farm or fall festival near you.
6 Reasons Why Pumpkin Is the New Superfood
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They’re perfect, they’re beautiful, they look like Linda Evangelista—I mean, they’re a nutritional powerhouse. And they are definitely a model member of the superfood club. Discover the health benefits of pumpkin.
The Tools You Need to Carve a Perfect Pumpkin
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These are the right tools for the job—of pretending you’re competing on “Halloween Wars” (or just pulling off the best jack-o-lantern on the block). See how to carve a pumpkin like a pro with these tools.
We Taste-Tested Some of the Wildest Pumpkin Spice Products We Could Find
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And sad to say, they were not all smashing…but some were! Find out which pumpkin spice snacks are actually good (aka worth the hit to your wallet—and your waistline).
Related Video: The Easiest Pumpkin Pie You’ll Ever Make
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How to Make Healthier French Fries
The quest for healthy french fries will never end, because let’s face it: French fries are everyone’s favorite, but we all know they’re far from health food. Luckily, they can be made healthier—and you can even enjoy keto fries if you’re on that low-carb diet.
From ingredient swaps to alternative cooking methods (air fryer included, of course), here are seven delicious ways to make healthier fries and scratch that snacking itch in a more nutritious way.
1. Be sweeter.
While it makes for a less traditional tasting french fry, sweet potatoes offer an excellent alternative and increase a fry’s nutritional value. Check out our excellent Sweet Potato Fry recipe, using only cornstarch, ghee, minced garlic, paprika, chili powder, and black pepper. Be sure to avoid overcrowding the pan with fries in order for even cooking and pull them out when they appear golden brown.
Chowhound
2. Embrace spices.
While french fries are often defined by the flavor they take on, consider cutting back on the salt and incorporating other, more nutritional spices. Garlic, rosemary, thyme, paprika, and onion powder are just a few flavorful alternatives to avoid heavy sodium intake. If you’re opting for sweet potatoes, think about using a sweeter spice—like cinnamon, brown sugar and nutmeg. (Go easy on the sugar though! We’re trying to be healthy here.) Or try something new, like vadouvan, “a French interpretation of Indian masala curry powder, blending classic curry spices of mustard seeds, fenugreek, cumin, coriander, cardamom, and chili peppers with aromatic onion, garlic, and shallot.”
Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning, $6.88 on Amazon
Or maybe some everything bagel fries will hit the spot; there is some salt in this blend, but you'll still use less overall.
3. Forget the fryer.
Consider this—”French fries” are not at all French. They actually were made popular in the United States after American soldiers learned the recipe from some French-speaking Belgians. If the word “French” is a fallacy, why not nix “fry” too? Slice a few potatoes into ½-inch pieces, going longways. Put the potatoes in a bowl with two tablespoons of olive oil, or just enough to entirely coat each potato. Add spices of your preference—garlic and parmesan are a classic, but you could also go the direction of spicy Cajun seasoning.
Chowhound
Then, instead of a fryer, pop them in the oven on a baking pan lined in foil or parchment and covered in cooking spray or oil. Bake them at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until brown. By avoiding the fryer, this baking method cuts out a lot of the grease (and potential for hot oil accidents)—and if they’re not from France and we want a more accurate alliteration, we could dub these fries “Belgian Bakes.”
Another oil-free option is the grill; just be sure to keep an eye on them—turning the french fries often to avoid sticking (see our Grilled Sweet Potato recipe for more pointers).
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4. Or use an air fryer!
A happy medium between the dreaded deep fryer and the baking sheet is to use an air fryer for crisp, nearly oil-free potato fries (or other veggie fries or chips). Because it uses super hot circulated air to cook your food, you need far less oil for a satisfying crunch. Try this Easy Air Fryer French Fries recipe.
Related Reading: 15 Unexpected Air Fryer Recipes You Should Try
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5. Nix the oil.
Speaking of oil, combined with the baking method, you can replace the oil with another crisping agent—whisked egg whites or broth. By using these healthier alternatives, your french fry still has the crispiness you want without the weight of using heavy oils. Or, just leave those potatoes naked, as in this Oil-Free Baked Fries recipe. If you go the substitute route, consider spicing the egg whites or broth before saturating the potatoes for extra flavor.
Chowhound
6. Go potato-less with keto fries.
Whether or not you’re actually on keto, instead of filling up on carb-filled potato fries, try opting for a different veggie. Jicama fries are one popular option, but still too high in carbs for strict keto eaters. Zucchini, however, is a great choice; this Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries with Marinara Dipping Sauce recipe offers a healthy crunch with plenty of zesty seasoning and cheese. (If you’re on keto, you’ll need to swap the bread crumbs out for almond flour or even finely crushed pork rinds, but otherwise you’re good to go.)
Matt Armendariz
You can treat turnips, parsnips, and rutabagas the same way.
If you’re missing fried potato chips, our Veggie Chips are another great snack alternative with plenty of crunch, and can also be made from many varieties of vegetable. They’re the perfect guiltless binge snack.
7. Be smarter about sauces.
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No matter what kind of fries you make, they’re begging to be dipped in some kind of sauce, but commercial ketchup and other store-bought condiments can be high in sugar, and creamier dips like ranch can add back all the calories you saved and then some. One solution is to make healthier homemade sauces like paleo ketchup or Greek yogurt ranch dressing. Or try something less conventional, like our Garlic Mint Greek Yogurt Dip recipe, which pairs particularly well with sweet potato fries. You can also swap in vegan ingredients to use in place of dairy.
Related Reading: 12 Delicious Vegan Sauces to Put on Everything
Bottom line?
While in general, fries hold a special snack place in most of our hearts, it’s not hard or expensive to create healthier alternatives at home. Baking fries, breaking out the air fryer, minding your spices and oils, and considering nixing the potato all together are just a few options we have in the kitchen to turn our guilty pleasure into a nutritious, guilt-free satiation. So next time you need a side for your cheeseburgers or a snack between meals, consider opting for some healthier, alternative french fry varieties.
Related Video: Anchovies You Eat Like French Fries
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The Friday Buzz: Prom Fails, Ginger Juice, and Good Omens
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French 75 Cocktail
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How to Make Simple Syrup
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