My boys have recently come to discover a truth of life: Everything tastes better fried. And I’ve recently had to tell them another truth of life—a much harder one: Deep fried golden deliciousness is not great for our bodies. So imagine how excited we all were when our newest sponsor gave me the opportunity to test run the Philips Airfryer. Friends, this is a countertop device that fries — and grills, roasts, and bakes — without tons of oil.
As in, pretty much guilt-free fried food.
Let’s pause on that a second: Guilt-free fried food.
It’s okay, I needed a moment too.
I’m sure this confuses my larger message to my kids that fried foods are normally to be enjoyed in moderation, so I’ll figure out another way to talk about that. Because now I know that using the Airfryer to cook veggies can make our mealtime a whole lot easier and healthier, too, since I can serve up tons of air-fried veggies using a tablespoon or less of oil.
Here are five ways that I’ve been serving “fried” vegetables that my kids love—from empanada snacks to the best cauliflower side to our new favorite dinner, Sweet Potato Taquitos—that are actually healthy.
Think #friednotfried could be the new #sorrynotsorry?
– Giveaway is closed! We’ll announce a winner soon. –
The first way that I used my Airfryer—and the way that I’ve used it most often since—was to make french fries. Because, of course. Isn’t the mark of a good fryer how well it does fries?
I started with the recipe offered among the many other Airfryer recipes on the Philips site because I wanted directions for the basic recipe straight from the source. Once I got the hang of it, though, I really wanted to try a variation, so I moved on to the recipe for Air-Fried Seasoned French Fries using the Airfryer, from Williams-Sonoma (pictured above).
By now, I don’t even need a recipe at all since it’s so easy. I would just say that my big takeaway is that you should soak white potato fries for 30-minutes before cooking for the best results, but you can skip that step if using sweet potatoes. Now, nutrient-dense sweet potato fries are my go-to.
I was inspired to make these Crispy Spring Rolls when I found wonton skins in my fridge. I always buy them thinking that I’ll make something super fun, and yet I never do because as a busy mom it just ends up feeling like too much trouble — until my new Airfryer came along (woot!). I pulled these spring rolls together in 25 minutes, in part by skipping the chicken and hand-cut veggies and using store-bought broccoli slaw instead. I then tossed the raw slaw with the ginger and sugar from the recipe, used salt instead of chicken stock powder, and followed the rest of the easy directions as written. Then, voila: Spring rolls as a healthy vegetable side to go with the soy-ginger marinated skirt steak I had made for dinner.
Side note: Since I have a feeling that I’ll be buying—and actually using—wonton skins a lot more these days, I’ve added these Banana Chocolate Wonton Poppers from Just a Taste to my list of must-make recipes. They’ll be so easy in the Airfryer and my boys will freak!
With spring rolls under my belt, I moved onto trying a batch of Mini Empanadas in the Airfryer next. Because you use pie dough to make them, they hold up nicely and are a great pick for the next day’s school lunch. This recipe calls for only chorizo and red peppers in the filling, but I decide to pack mine with even more veggies by adding about half of a five-ounce pack of baby spinach.
I sautéed the vegetables and sausage until all of the liquid from the spinach cooked off, then moved on from there using an all-natural store-bought pie dough. They came out so great, my boys nearly finished them up at snack time, and then the rest ended up in their lunch box the next day. But you could certainly have them for a fun family dinner too.
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About our sponsor… and an awesome giveaway!
![We're obsessed with the Philips Airfryer which lets you make fried recipes way healthier, and easier. | Cool Mom Eats [sponsor]](https://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae277/coolmomphotos/2016-September-Eats/Philips-Airfryer-Viva-Digital_zpspvyep8fd.jpg "We're obsessed with the Philips Airfryer which lets you make fried recipes way healthier, and easier. | Cool Mom Eats [sponsor]")
The Philips Airfryer allows you to fry foods healthfully with 75% less fat, but it doesn’t just fry—it can also grill, bake, and roast foods with only a tablespoon of oil or less. Plus, it’s easy. Set up your ingredients, press a button to set the temperature and timer, then start cooking everything from veggie recipes to weeknight Gordon Ramsay’s Turkey Sliders, which the infamous chef created just for this cool device since he loves using it too.
Giveaway is closed: We’ll announce a winner soon!
Philips is generously offering a grand prize pack to one lucky Cool Mom Eats reader, AND a discount for everyone!
All CME readers save 30% off any Airfryer purchased at Philips.com/Airfryer using the coupon code AIRFRYERBLOG.
One lucky winner will win a Philips Airfryer prize package worth approximately $500, including a Philips Airfryer, The Williams-Sonoma Airfryer Cookbook, a $100 American Express gift card, and Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Home Cooking cookbook. Here’s how to enter:
1. Subscribe to Cool Mom Eats. Easy, right? If you’re already a subscriber, leave us a comment telling us that you’re a subscriber AND why you’re excited to try the Philips Airfryer. (Be sure to use the same email that you subscribed with so we can double-check. Don’t worry, no one can see it but us.)
For up to three additional entries each day through Sunday:
2. Follow @CoolMomEats on Twitter + tweet the link to this post on Twitter. Something like: These Sweet Potato & Black Bean Taquitos at @CoolMomEats are the first thing I’m going to make in my #Airfryer! https://bit.ly/2d483by
3. Like @CoolMomPicks on Facebook + share the link to this post on your own feed. Leave the link to your update in the comments here, below this post.
4. Follow @CoolMomEats on Instagram + share a photo from this post on Instagram with the hashtag #Airfryer. Hint: You can also easily regram the photo of today’s recipe right from the @CoolMomEats IG feed.
Contest ends Sunday, October 2nd at 11:59 p.m. PT. Up to 28 entries per person, regardless of number of social media accounts. Must be 18 or older to enter. U.S. residents only. Void where prohibited. Read our full contest rules before entering.
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After trying a lot of the Phillips Kitchen recipes, I wanted to attempt to adapt a recipe that ordinarily calls for pan frying in a bunch of oil, to see if I could get it to turn out crispy and delicious in the Airfryer.
The answer is yes, I can, because the Parmesan Cauliflower Bites recipe I followed from Damn Delicious were a huge hit with my family! They cooked up in 8-10 minutes in the Airfryer with a crunchy, flavorful coating that wasn’t the least bit greasy.
My boys decided that they even give french fries a run for their money, and that’s saying something.
Finally, I wanted to attempt some kind of vegetable dish that could serve as a main dish, and make use of healthy air frying. The result was my own Sweet Potato and Black Bean Taquitos, which are healthy and full of big flavor and a frequent request of my kids.
Win!
They are so easy to make in the Airfryer and come out so great, that they have already been added to our weekly rotation.
To make the taquitos, I start by baking sweet potatoes in the Airfryer: I just pop two in for about 35 minutes while I’m making school lunch and getting the kids ready in the morning. They’re done by the time we have to walk out the door, so I take them out to rest on the counter all day. When it’s time for dinner, I mash the potatoes in a bowl with a can of rinsed black beans, shredded cheddar cheese, and some spices, then roll the mixture into a bunch of tortillas. I pop those babies into the Airfryer for just a few minutes and out come homemade taquitos, fried golden brown, with none of the grease or guilt and all of the vitamins and minerals.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Taquitos
2 large sweet potatoes, roasted (about 2 cups sweet potato mash); you can substitute all-natural canned sweet potato puree
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons milk, plus more as needed
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
12 small flour or corn tortillas
Oil spray
OPTIONAL:
Guacamole or avocado mashed with a squeeze of lime and salt, to serve
Fresh cilantro, washed and chopped, to serve
Pico de gallo or salsa, to serve
1. If using fresh potatoes, begin by roasting them in the oven or in your Airfryer. I find that 35 minutes at 390-degrees works best for large sweet potatoes.
2. Once cooked, allow the potatoes to cool. Peel, then mash in a large bowl along with the milk. If they are still dry, add more milk as neccessary.
3. Add black beans, cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and mash all together to create a sweet potato filling.
4. Divide the filling evenly between the tortillas. Spray the basket and rack of your Airfyer to keep the taquitos from sticking, and place them seam side down—half should fit in the basket and the other half on the rack. Lightly spray the tops of the 12 taquitos with oil.
5. Set the Airfryer to 390 degrees and cook for 7-8 minutes. Repeat with the second batch. Serve with guacamole, fresh cilantro, and salsa.
Thank you to our fantastic sponsor Philips for putting technology to use in the kitchen, to make healthy eating easier for busy families — and picky kids too! Learn more about the Philips Airfryer on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter where you can search for #Airfryer tips and recipes.
And don’t forget: Save 30% on your Airfryer purchase at Philips.com/Airfryer using the coupon code AIRFRYERBLOG.
My 5 yr-old is the pickiest eater out there! We are all trying to be healthier (Hubby and I are losing weight) but all miss the fried foods! This would solve all of those problems I think! lol
I forgot to say that I am already a subscriber to Cool Mom Eats (and all of the Cool Mom Blogs!) lol
My kids love bad foods and so do I. Its so hard also with one very picky eater. The air fryer would be so great in helping us eat healthier and also have that crispness that everyone loves.
I am also a subscriber.
I subscribe. I love fried foods, so do my kids, I would love to find a way to make them healthy we can eat them as often as we like!
I am a subscriber because you have great content. Just like this!! I would love an air dryer to make yummy crispy foods that are much heathlier then deep fried foods! I have heard great things about air fryers.
I follow on FB and here’s the link to my share
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1452508191432836&id=100000210060719&ref=bookmarks
I would love to have a easier time cooking! My daughter has become such a picky eater I feel like I am going nuts trying to get her to eat vegetables!
Already a subscriber and this might save Mr. I-don’t-like-that, No-Way-Am-I-Eating-That, not to mention guilt-free-fried. Nice.
I am a subscriber…email: scottdeannasrr@msn.com
I run an in home childcare and wow I have a mix of eaters…some eat whatever and some are very picky. But something they all agree on is fried foods! New regulations through the federal government is headed my way to serve even healthier meals. This would help so much!
I am a subscriber and I love to cook. This sounds like a great option for those of us who are always trying to cook healthier.
My Fb post: https://www.facebook.com/suebob/posts/10101848851578716?pnref=story
I’m already a subscriber.
We love fried foods, but I know it is bad for us to have too often. I have been eyeing the air fryers for a bit now and would love to add this into my family’s healthier eating approach.
I want an air fryer so I can make mozzarella cheese sticks. I loooove those things, but they’re too fatty to eat very often. An air fryer sounds like just the thing!
Oh, and I’m already a subscriber. 🙂
Here my FB share today!
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1453443721339283&id=100000210060719&ref=bookmarks
Here’s my post on IG
https://instagram.com/p/BK5tiJPgHMH/
Now a subscriber. We love fried foods in our house, but want a healthier option!
I’ve been stalking this #AirFryer for months! And I have to say…yours is the best review I’ve read to date. and with that, I’m clearing a spot on my counter and envisioning fried chicken and crispy rolls for days! Thank you!
My teenager NEEDS this!
I am already a subscriber
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
I forgot….I am excited to win this because I loved fried foods but I don’t like to fry in oil. I really want one of these!
I follow you on Twitter as @Cezovski9
I tweeted: These Sweet Potato & Black Bean Taquitos at @CoolMomEats are the first thing I’m going to make in my #Airfryer! https://bit.ly/2d483by
I follow you on Facebook as Carolsue Anderson
I shared on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MsCarolsueA/posts/1145234128867080
Here is my share today on FB
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1454301201253535&id=100000210060719
Here’s my tweet today.
https://twitter.com/keriejustice/status/781452436749873152
Here is my IG post today
https://instagram.com/p/BK8Br2VAjBw/
I am a subscriber. I am excited to try the Airfryer because I would love to experience the taste of fried foods without all of the unhealthy fats that typically accompany other fried foods.
I’m already a member. :). I would love the air fryer to help create much healthier versions of old favorites for my family!
Looks great! I’m a subscriber. 🙂
I’ve been curious about the airfryers for a while! I am already a subscriber to Cool Mom’s newsletter and follow on Facebook. Can’t figure how to share the link to my facebook post that isn’t just the link to this story! 🙂
I am a cool mom eats subscriber and a gadget junkie. I love fried foods but the cleanup? Not so much!
I am a subscriber. Looking for ways to get my son to eat more veggies that is delicious and sneaky. This could be the trick!
I am a subscriber and would love to expand my family’s healthy eating options with the Airfryer!
I am a subscriber because I love the cool gadgets — like this one! — and recipe ideas. Love the weekly “meal plan”.
I’m a subscriber! Would love to try sweet potato fries!
I am a subscriber. Thanks for the opportunity to win the Airfryer.
I would be over the moon to try this fryer! It’s been on my wish list since I heard of it. LOVE the variety of recipes here to try.
We love to branch out and try different things and this sounds like we would love and use all the time. I am already a subscriber. Thanks!
I’m a subscriber. Excited about no grease to clean up.
I’m a subscriber and this looks amazing! I’m hungry already.
I have been toying with the idea of an air fryer but trying to discern best options per dollar has been tough. My boyfriend is excellent with fries and other oil soaked foods, but I have been trying to be better and bake things instead. Almost just as good! I imagine this would be the perfect marriage between health and taste. Definitely hoping to be able to try this soon!
I’m a subscriber, super excited to get fry taste w/o all the oil.
I’m a subscriber! I love fried foods (fried pickles, anyone) but I hate the grease. Would love to try this!
I subscribed. I want to try the air fryer because I have a son that is addicted to french fries. I would like to have a healthier way to make them.
Daily Tweet – https://twitter.com/mom2boys51/status/781912238399553536
I’m a subscriber and LOVE fried food, but never eat it or fry anything anymore since we are trying to feed our kids healthier than we ate growing up. This seems like a genius product!
I’m a subscriber! I would love the air fryer because it’s a fun & easy way to make things bit more healthy. We try to eat well most of the time, fried foods aren’t one of my favorite things to put on the table but sometimes it just tastes sooooo good!
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/TarahM716/status/781918290150985728
I’m already a subscriber. I very excited about this Airfryer because my husband, kids and I love fried foods but recently changed our eating habits to eating healthier. Have this Airfryer would enable us to still have great tasting foods but without the bad health factors.
Follow on twitter (peg42) and tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/781921641383206912
Follow on Facebook and shared: https://www.facebook.com/rickpeggysmith/posts/10154033010718284
Already subscribed. I’d love to win bc the Southerner in me wants fried foods, but the health conscious part of me says ‘no’. Help me decide the battle?
I tweeted. Check out @copilotwife’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/copilotwife/status/781922052844363776?s=09
FB posted!
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1797588437151238&id=100007002975194
Here’s my tweet today
https://twitter.com/keriejustice/status/781929856770662400
Here my post on IG today
https://instagram.com/p/BK_a-SygV3W/
Redtwinkle@aol.com
Here’s my share on FB
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1455629094454079&id=100000210060719
Facebook post https://www.facebook.com/racheljeramie/posts/785004521641700
I’m a subscriber! Would love to try this fryer!
email subscriber for a long time — groogruxking40 @ gmail dot com
I would love to make some deep fried onion rings, pickles, mozz sticks you name it!
here is my tweet!
https://twitter.com/groogruxking40/status/781956649191813120
I am a subscriber and would love to win the air fryer! We have a lot of dietary issues in our house and it would be great to be able to do a healthier version of frying at home since we can’t usually order fried food in restaurants. I’ve eyed the air fryer before, it looks great!
current subscriber and i LOVE fried food and now its healthy!
I’m a subscriber, and the Airfryer would open a whole new world of possibilities—I’ve been trying to do baked versions of fried foods. This looks like an even better solution!
I’m already a subscriber – I would love to use this to try out the Parmesan cauliflower recipe you have listed!
I already sub and would like to fry and feel good about it.
10/01 Tweet (@Cezovski9)
https://twitter.com/cezovski9/status/782135143079157760
10/01 – Facebook (Carolsue Anderson)
https://www.facebook.com/MsCarolsueA/posts/1146932638697229
Im a subscriber. This is such an easy, healthier way to make foods!
This looks awesome! Sweet potato fries, taquitos, cauliflower bites… I want it all! Healthier fried foods so I can have the fun, football favorites we love without the guilt?!?! Count me in! I already subscribe 🙂
I’ve been a subscriber for a while now because of my picky almost-4-year-old. An air fryer would help me make him his favorite foods in a much healthier way. He LOVES anything fried but obviously all that fat is just too much to have an a regular basis. I’m super excited about this air fryer!
Already a subscriber to your fab blogs (so much great info). I’ve always wanted to try an air fryer, and now – PARMESAN CAULIFLOWER BITES – I really do. Yum!
I am one of your email subscribers. A healthy alternative to fried food – yes please!
My FB share – https://www.facebook.com/rusthawk/posts/1102995883082296?pnref=story
Tweet – https://twitter.com/rusthawk/status/782213474512347136
I shared on FB today
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1456484587701863&id=100000210060719&ref=bookmarks
Here’s my tweet for today.
https://twitter.com/keriejustice/status/782215088224763904
Here’s my IG post today
https://instagram.com/p/BLBcjJ_gZ3V/
My son would live on “deep fried breaded protein” – if I let him! I would love to offer a healthier option that didn’t invoke a sigh or an eye roll! (we subscribe and LOVE the recipes and information!)
I would love to try the Airfryer for my kids, such a healthy way to make yummy food and snacks!
I’m an email subscriber and would love this product! I try to eat healthier, but my family loves the fried foods. This might be just the thing to get that deep fryer out of my pantry — a dream come true! Thanks for the chance to win!
Here’s my tweet: https://bit.ly/2dHODsU Thanks again!
subscribed.
Interested to see how an air fryer works.
I am a subscriber and I am so excited to try this as it is an alternative to fried food.
I subscribed, I have always wanted to try this air fryer, now even more so with you delish receipes!
my tweet https://twitter.com/hbbs5555/status/782239257930764288
I’m a subscriber. I want the airfryer because I am cutting back on fat.
follow on IG (hbbs55) and regramed
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLBqyg-BjHl/?taken-by=hbbs55
fb share https://www.facebook.com/holly.chernoff/posts/1155213071204456
I subscribed and am super excited to try the Phillips fryer!
I subscribe and haven’t even thought of an air fryer since having had kids. What a great idea! Would love this product! Great for my 7 year old who has a real penchant for cooking too!
Already a subscriber!
Like on FB. Shared this giveaway on my timeline (Alyce Poalillo)
I am a subscriber and I’d love to win! We love fresh fries and tater tots, and would love a way to make them healthier!
https://www.facebook.com/amanda.schwarz.777/posts/10207337812587082
Shared on Facebook!
I’m a subscriber, and can’t believe I almost missed out on this! I have a few friends who posted about this fryer, and while intrigued, I wasn’t ready to commit to one, but whoa – your pics just might do me in! I love me some crispy spring rolls, and my super-healthy spouse could indulge, too.
I subscribe already 🙂 I hope I win, I would love to try to make anything in this fryer
I subscribe to CME ( and CMP), and would LOVE to win this awesome product! I am obsessed with finding healthier eating options for my family, despite the fact that we own (and use!) a deep fryer! How lovely it would be to lose my fryer-guilt!
I am a subscriber, and I would love to try this fryer because my kids love things like french fries (of course) and I want to be able to make healthy versions of that and other fried dishes at home.
I am a subscriber AND why I am SO excited to try the Philips Airfryer because I want to eat healthier. I love cooking and collect cookbooks. I stay away from anything requiring frying because of health reasons (I get heart burn and just had my gall bladder removed). With the Philips Airfryer, I can get similar taste and texture results to frying but with little to no oil!
Tweet: https://twitter.com/davisesq212/status/782405092318318592
I liked your FB page and posted: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1180215392053762&id=100001959388488
Subscriber who wants to make fried pickles without the guilt…
I follow @CoolMomEats on Instagram + shared your contest photo from this post on Instagram using the hashtag #Airfryer. My account is here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BLCzhfuBnsl/?taken-by=davisesq212
I have become a subscriber.
I forgot to say that I would love to win this because I’m dying to make french fries and this would be a healthy way to make them.
I am a subscriber.
Follow on twitter and tweeted 10/1 – https://twitter.com/tinawoo21/status/782462854146306048
I follow you on Instagram as cezovski9
I posted the giveaway picture here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BLDVqRzDGYB/?taken-by=cezovski9
10/02 – Tweet
https://twitter.com/MsCarolsueA/status/782483072751132672
10/2 – Facebook (Carolsue Anderson)
https://www.facebook.com/MsCarolsueA/posts/1147790698611423
I am a subscriber and love the quick, family-friendly meal ideas shared on the site. I would love to use the Airfryer to show my family they can have their favorite fried foods that are still healthy and taste just as good.
I’m a subscriber and I’d love to win a Philips Airfryer becuse I have a weakness for crunchy fried foods but I’m trying to make healthier choices for my family. We also have to eat a gluten-free diet so it’s not possible to get many of our favorite things without making them at home and traditional deep frying results in a huge mess.
I followed and tweeted: https://twitter.com/sweephappy/status/782582271987425280
FB share 10/2 – https://www.facebook.com/rusthawk/posts/1103847629663788
tweet 10/2 – https://twitter.com/rusthawk/status/782595702169841664
I’m already a subscriber. My kids love fried, crispy foods, but they aren’t always the healthiest choice. This would be great!
I’m a subscriber and I would love to try the taquitos. Anything that makes veggies more fun to eat would be great!
You had me at French fries ?
Here’s my FB share today
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1457767427573579&id=100000210060719
Here’s the link to my tweet today
https://twitter.com/keriejustice/status/782644897954275328
Here my IG post for today!
https://instagram.com/p/BLEf_LWgI8W/
Subscriber! I can’t wait to try this because these recipe ideas sound amazing!
Tweet https://twitter.com/rmgm/status/782752348259119104
FB https://www.facebook.com/mel.maringer/posts/1119233081492862
I’m a subscriber and am excited about the air fryer because my kids love French fries and other fried goodies. It would be great to make them healthier.