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Fall is definitely here! And with it comes a host of warm, soothing foods (chai latte, anyone?). As I was thinking of what to prepare for this week’s recipe, I wanted to keep in mind all of the awesome Be Well Philly Office Challenge participants who are working hard to get healthy, exercise more and create healthy meals. One of the keys to maintaining a healthy weight is to make sure you don’t feel deprived. I don’t believe in dieting, just in making choices that suit your body and incorporating healthy fats and lots of fiber. So this week’s fall-inspired treat is designed to indulge cravings for sweets and allow you to enjoy a really tasty snack.

Sweet Potato Fries with Roasted Pepitas & Sage Dipping Sauce
Serves four

4  sweet potatoes, halved and sliced (with skins)
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
3 tablespoons Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt, plain
3 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoons dried parsley
¼ teaspoon ground sage
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon lemon juice

1. Prepare to roast pepitas. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, combine ½ tablespoon olive oil, garlic salt, cumin, paprika, cumin and coriander. Mix well and then toss in seeds. Coat evenly. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spread seeds out in a single layer. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove to cool.

2. While seeds are roasting, prepare sweet potatoes. Wash well. Cut potatoes in half legnth-wise and then slice evenly, but thick (about the width of steak fries). Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray, arrange in a single layer and cook for 30 minutes.

3. With potatoes in the oven and seeds cooling, prepare sauces. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, sage and lemon juice. Mix well and place to the side. In another small bowl, add remaining olive oil, rosemary and parsley to be used on potatoes when removed from oven.

4. When potatoes are finished cooking, allow to cool enough to be able to handle, but still warm. With pumpkin seeds arranged in a single layer, individually smush potatoes on top of seeds to embed into the flesh. (Yes, smush is a technical culinary term!). When complete, brush potatoes with olive oil and herb mixture. Return to oven for 10 more minutes (or 15 minutes if you desire a crispier fry).

5. Serve immediately with sage dipping sauce on the side or store in an airtight container with wax paper (or paper towels) in between layers of fries and refrigerate. Consume within three days.

Bonus tip #1: Why not roast a whole batch of pumpkin seeds at once to save time? Try tripling the recipe and store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use for snacks, salads, soup toppings, granola or yogurt.

Bonus tip #2: Studies show that sweet potatoes are effective in maintaining balanced blood sugar levels and are a great substitute for the high-starch, high-glycemic-index white potato. Great news for diabetics!

Per serving: Calories 213g, Fat 10.2g, Sat Fat 1.5g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 220mg, Carbs 28g, Dietary Fiber 5g, Protein 4g

Maura Manzo is a health coach and yoga instructor at RYAH Yoga and Health inConshohocken.  To learn more about her classes and workshops, visit mauramanzo.com orryahyoga.com. Read her full bio here.