Let’s talk about the humble potato. 🥔
Potatoes have always been a safe food for me, pre or post any of my diagnoses. I know some people claim that they count as a nightshade and are off limits, but I would honestly not be alive if it weren’t for potatoes. What is off limits is frying as a cooking method. This NIH paper cites that both frying and grilling increase the levels of histamine in foods, which tracks: I’ve eliminated both cooking methods from my diet after finding that both set me off.
These ‘fries’ are baked, but a good substitute, and customizable as long as you can tolerate potatoes. I also sprinkle a small amount of black pepper on mine, also controversial. I avoided black pepper for over a year after my diagnosis, thinking that all spicy things must be off limits. Mast Cell 360 cites any peppercorns as ‘may need to limit to small amounts ,’ and the SIGHI list has it as a level 2 histamine food with similar guidance. Omit it if you’re not certain you can tolerate it, or if your histamine bucket feels particularly full.
You’ll need:
Idaho baking potatoes (make sure to get ones that are appropriately large and oblong – I have better luck with hand-picking them at my local produce hut rather than buying pre-sorted bags)
Oil of choice (I use olive)
Kosher salt
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Black pepper (optional)
Fresh, minced parsley
A bowl of cold water
- Scrub the skin of your potato under water to remove dirt. If you can tolerate potato skin, keep it on! It will crisp nicely.
- Cut your potato in half, then matchstick each half into fries that are about 1/2 inch square.
- Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Soak your matchsticked potato in the cold water for 20 minutes. This will help change the starch and make them crispier.
- Drain and lightly dry off your potatoes.
- You have two options here depending on how much oil you can tolerate– either pour some over all the potatoes in the bowl and toss with your hands, or lay each potato piece on the parchment and spray or lightly brush the oil on the face of the potato. The goal is to aim for even coverage.
- Sprinkle your dried spices over top the potatoes on the sheet. If you can’t tolerate any of the ones I use, they also taste nice with just salt, but definitely go for the larger kosher salt to help with that traditional fry taste.
- Bake your fries for 50 minutes at 400 degrees. Check on them half way through and rotate to ensure even crispiness. If some of your fries are smaller than others, remove just those 10 minutes before the thicker ones are done. They should be slightly browned, but not charred.
- Sprinkle the fresh parsley overtop before serving.
- These freeze well. I stand them upright in a mason jar for easy removal. They make a great snack, salad topper, or side for full meals.