FRIDAY FAVES: Sweet Potato Fries

There's nothing like a cheeseburger, fries, and diet coke.
Sometimes I just CRAVE it (even if it's from the $1 menu at McDonald's!).
Of course it is better from a sit-down restaurant...with ranch and avocado.

Being on a budget, we try our best to do all of our cooking at home, so we've been excited to have a weekly burger and fries night at home...just us and our trusty 'ol George Foreman grill :)

In working on getting my a1c down, losing weight, and being healthier
in general, I've traded in my cheeseburgers for salmon burgers
(Derek is still sticking with his weekly cheddar bacon burgers)
and instead of french fries,
we enjoy a healthy side of SWEET POTATO FRIES!!!!

I first experimented with Sweet Potato Fries this summer after reading about them on blogs.
I googled a recipe and got to work:
peeling, chopping,
seasoning (olive oil, salt, cinnamon, paprika...), and baking.

The results were tasty, but
after too many run-ins involving my fingers and the knife,
I knew there had to be a better way!

On a random trip to the Jewel, I spotted them...
Sweet Potato Fries,
already chopped, peeled, and seasoned,
in the freezer section!!!

From there, we branched out to other variations
found at Whole Foods
(Chipotle Seasoned, Crinkle Cut, Waffle Cut, etc...)

Prices range anywhere from
$1.89 (Aldi) to $4.39 (Waffle Cut, Whole Foods) per 1 pound bag.
And just when we thought it couldn't get any better,
they arrived at Costco!!!

For $5.89 for 4 pounds, we've found our best deal yet...and it will last us for a month.
That's right, 1 pound of french fries
shared between the 2 of us each week!
(That's for dinner 1 night and leftovers for lunch the following day).

These delicious sweet potato fries have filled me up at meals,
been gracious to my blood sugar, are easy to count out,
making carb counting quick and painless,
and have added health benefits, with wonderful nutrients, and vitamins.
And with Thanksgiving around the corner, sweet potatoes are in season.

Ladies and Gentleman,
please give it up for
my current Friday Fave....Sweet Potato Fries!!!

Happy Friday...
now go enjoy some Sweet Potato Fries!

FRIDAY FAVES: CUGINI!!!

* With a week full of new weekly blog segments (found here and here)...we might as well end with another one...FRIDAY FAVES!

Yes, yet another segment to add to the list to keep me busy blogging away.

As opposed to my WEDNESDAY WISHLIST, where I blog about what I'm wishing for...this will be a segment of recent finds, things, places, etc. that are my favorite.

Without further ado, my current FRIDAY FAVE...

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I can't imagine life without them. We grew up having sleepovers every weekend, getting together at Grandma's once a month for homemade ravs. We played handball in the basement and laughed all day long.

They were ALL involved in our wedding, and I couldn't have imagined the special day without them.

When I roll over in the morning as I'm waking up, I first see Derek... and then a picture of them on the wall just above Derek's head.

We've had many celebrations, lots of laughter, and few tears together.

They are...MY CUGINI!!! (which mean COUSINS...in Italian).

The timing couldn't be more perfect for the cugini picnic! We have our more extended cugini with us...me and my cousins and our parents' cousins and kids. The group keeps growing.

We eat, laugh, eat, play bacci ball, eat, and enjoy being together every summer. Did I mention we like to eat a lot?!?! We're ITALIAN! (and yes, several of us have DIABETES...both types 1 and 2).

 Looking forward to a weekend of lots of food & family
...and the first home pre-season Bears game.

What are your current Friday Faves?