Continuing on with my fall-themed recipes, I thought I would create a side dish that incorporated autumn root veggies such as parsnips and carrots along with a delicious fall fruit-the apple!  I was introduced to parsnips a few years ago when my family served them for Thanksgiving dinner.  Yum-what a unique, sweet taste.  Since the moment these babies hit my taste buds I’ve created a vast array of cooking and baking recipes that combines these tasty parsnips with other root n’ hearty vegetables.  This dish is perfect for the fall season, not only is it incredibly healthy but it tastes delicious and ignites your kitchen with a magnificent aroma.

I love making my ‘Fries‘, but this time around I wanted to try something different.  I have yet to use a fruit when making my fries, therefore I imagined the combination of fresh apples with carrots, shallots and parsnips in my mind.  Why not, I thought….it can’t taste taste that bad, right? I gave it a whirl and whipped out my handy-dandy cutting board and a few fancy knives along with some pantry staples such as cinnamon, agave nectar, granola and dried cherries.  Hmmmm….would this combination make a delightful fry that I could flavor with a bit of sweetness and perhaps dip it into some Greek yogurt, homemade agave- sweetened relish or fruity-flavored salsa? I surely hoped it would…and as a matter of fact, it went above and beyond my expectations.  I just had to share this savory fry recipe with you…I hope you run out to the market and snatch up these ingredients because this one surely is a winner in my book.

Don’t be afraid to alter my recipe if your pantry isn’t stocked with these items; if you don’t have any granola on hand, feel free to use ground flax seed or mashed cereal, crackers or pretzels for the crunchy texture.  No dried cranberries?  No problem–reach for raisins or cranberries.  You can also experiment with sweeteners—you may choose to use honey or stevia.  Now, I’ve always followed my recipe to the ‘T’ and haven’t altered it a mere pinch, but if you’ve got the guts to switch it up…go for it and let me know how it turns out.

Now, how much fun is this for a Friday night?

Ingredients

• 2 Large Apples (I used Granny Smith Apples)
• 4 large Parsnips
• 6 Large Carrots
• 2 shallots
• 2 Tbsp. Cinnamon
• 1/4 cup Granola, mashed
• 1/3 cup Dried Cherries
• 1/4 cup of Pistachios
• Dash of Agave Nectar

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Slice carrots, parsnips and apples into fry-like shapes.
• Place into a Zip-lock bag with cinnamon, shallots, granola and dried cherries.
• Shake until carrots, parsnips and apples are completely coated with cinnamon.
• Place onto a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven and place into a serving dish.  Drizzle with agave nectar and pistachios.
• Enjoy and serve with your favorite condiments such as relish, sweet salsa, Greek yogurt, guacamole or tamari.