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This is one side dish my kiddos ask for on the regular. It pairs well with chicken, beef, and even burgers. Leftovers are delicious in a salad or mixed in a rice or quinoa bowl. This dish is excellent for hot summer days when the last thing you want to do is heat up the oven, but you are craving potatoes.
Potatoes are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, copper, potassium, zinc, and antioxidants. In addition, they contain a unique antioxidant patatin, found in tubers, as well as phytonutrients.
This recipe calls for peeled potatoes, but you are welcome to leave the skin on too! Potato skins are nutritious and peeling is a great task for kids to jump in and help. Remember, if they are involved in the preparation, they are far more likely to eat it.
Sweet potatoes are great for diabetics and will not impact glucose levels.
Yams and sweet potatoes are only distantly related. Both are tubers and have a good shelf life but are very different in taste and texture.
(Fun Fact, North Carolina, my parent's other state, is currently the world's top producer) Sweet potatoes come in two varieties, dark-skinned with orange flesh and light-skinned with yellow flesh. Both are commonly found in US grocery stores.
The orange variety is sweeter and more moisture-dense. They tend to be fluffier.
The yellow version is more like a regular potato, on the drier side and flakier.
Both would work for this recipe, but I prefer the yellow version because its texture lends better for crispier potatoes.
Yams can grow up to 5 ft and 132 lbs! They can be as small as a potato but are typically much larger. Don't worry about distinguishing between them because they are also difficult to find in US stores and are more commonly found in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
They have rough, tough skins and are pink, yellow, or white. Yams are also on the drier side and less sweet.
This recipe is super low prep- only peeling and dicing. For the easiest way to get evenly cubed potatoes, check out this video:
Cooking times and crisp preferences vary wildly, so I strongly encourage you to test one after 10 minutes and see what you think. Also, be sure to toss the basket every few minutes to avoid burning. Preheating may be indicated by a light on your Air Fryer, or you can just let it run for 5 minutes.
So give them and try and let me know what you think in the comments section below!
