CARL’S JR.: CHILI CHEESE FRENCH FRIES

SAVE: 380 CALORIES, 43 G FAT, 13 G SAT. FAT

Carl’s Jr. serves a huge serving of soft (not crisp) fries in their Chili Cheese French Fries. Imagine my surprise when I realized that the “chili” that tops them is more akin to seasoned taco beef than to any chili I’ve ever tasted. It actually makes the whole process much simpler.

2 russet potatoes (1 pound total), peeled

½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1⁄8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons Carl’s Jr. Chili Seasoning Mix

¼ cup water

2½ ounces 4% lean ground beef (¼ cup + 1 tablespoon)

½ ounce (about ¼ cup) finely shredded low-fat orange Cheddar cheese

½ ounce (about ¼ cup) finely shredded low-fat yellow Cheddar cheese

PREHEAT the oven to 400°F.

Place the potatoes on a cutting board. With a knife, cut into ¼"-thick sticks. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the oil and salt. Carefully toss to coat well. Place the potatoes, not touching, in a single layer on a large nonstick baking sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes per side, or until cooked through but not browned.

Meanwhile, in a small cup or bowl, combine the chili seasoning and water. Stir to blend well. Set aside.

Place the beef in a small nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until all chunks are gone. Stir in the chili-seasoning mixture. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 3 minutes, or until all of the water is gone. Sprinkle with the orange Cheddar and the yellow Cheddar. Remove from the heat. Cover to keep warm.

When the fries are cooked, transfer them to a medium bowl. Spoon the beef mixture on top.

MAKES 1 SERVING

540 calories, 31 g protein, 89 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 3 g sat. fat, 8 g fiber

Original Carl’s Jr. Chili Cheese French Fries: 920 calories, 29 g protein, 89 g carbohydrates, 51 g fat, 16 g sat. fat, 9 g fiber

DRIVE-THRU Too harried to gather a lot of spices? Simply replace the chili seasoning mix with 2 teaspoons of store-bought taco seasoning mix whisked with 2 tablespoons of water.

EVEN BETTER A full order of Carl’s Jr. Chili Cheese French Fries contains 2 whole baked potatoes along with the beef and cheese. For a much more balanced meal, follow the recipe, but use only ½ pound of potatoes tossed in ¼ teaspoon of oil and increase the beef to 4 ounces. The revised version contains 399 calories, 34 g protein, 48 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 3 g sat. fat, and 5 g fiber.