Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Beef Stir Fry)

For all the meat and potato lovers out there, this healthier spin on a classic Peruvian stir-fry dish combines two of my favorite cuisines – Latin and Chinese! Chinese cuisine in Peru, referred to as "Chifa", is embedded in the Peruvian culture where you'll find a wonderful fusion of flavors, colors, textures utilizing Chinese and Peruvian ingredients.

I took one of Peru's most emblematic dishes, "Lomo Saltado" and lightened it up a bit – without losing any of it's amazing flavor. This dish is made with strips of sirloin seasoned with cumin, stir fried with tomatoes, red onion, soy sauce, cilantro and finished with french fries – what a combination right? Well trust me, it works!

In Peru they use a yellow pepper called aji amarillo, but it's not commonly found here in the states, so I subbed it with a jalapeno and added mini yellow peppers in their place. Rather than frying my potatoes, I baked my fries in the oven until golden and crisp, seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder – SO good! You'll want to make these with everything!

In Peru, they also serve this dish with rice, but I personally find it filling with just the potatoes plus I add a slice of avocado on the side, it's perfect.

Now, for those of you who have totally written off potatoes from your diet because you think they are bad for you, I'm here to tell you they are actually good for you! There's lots of misconceptions about potatoes but the truth is they are not the carb devil everyone thinks they are! The fact is, potatoes are a whole food – that is food in it's natural state, nothing processed or refined. In fact, one medium-size, skin-on potato is just 110 calories, has no fat, sodium or cholesterol, and it provides 45 percent of your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana! It's also rich in fiber, potassium and magnesium, which are all listed as shortfall nutrients in the American diet. So don't blame the potato – it's often the preparation and toppings that add fat and calories.  Plus, they are naturally gluten free and part of a clean eating diet! You can see more potato nutrition facts here.

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