To fry or not to fry has long been the question when trying to live life to the fullest, enjoying all the beauty that the deep fried world has to offer while trying to avoid clogged arteries. Air frying has been a big topic of discussion for a while now and after much back and forth with myself, and many thoughts of could it really compare to deep fried food i gave in, bite the bullet, and ordered an air fryer.

After careful research of brands, price comparisons, size comparisons and more reviews than id like to admit to reading i decided on The Power Air Fryer XL in red of course. I  always say if you are going to do it go XL or go home so i did.

Not only did i research the fryers themselves i also did extensive research on air frying, recipes, methods, cooking times and temps. One of the most helpful sites i came across which i still refer to today if i am cooking something in the air fryer for the first time is The Blue Jean Chef – Meredith Laurence. Her cooking chart is a super helpful table that is easy to save or print to always have on hand for easy reference and i have found it to be very accurate Air Fryer Cooking Chart.

I really have not made anything in the air fryer that i haven’t loved. It is my favorite device for roasting vegetables. Living in The Bahamas you love any excuse not to turn on the oven and heat up the entire house. I have successfully roasted broccoli. cauliflower, carrots, beets, squash, and tomatoes. My husbands favorite are homemade french fries, while the air fryer makes awesome frozen fries into the perfect crispy fry it is just as easy and delicious to make your own with home cut potatoes, thick, thin, wedges, whatever floats your boat. They come out perfect every time. I will say roasted beets, carrots and tomatoes are my favorite. Especially beefsteak tomatoes cut in half or cut into thick slices and topped with a drizzle of olive oil, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, salt, fresh ground pepper and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top, roasted to perfection. I have used these as a side for many dishes especially fish and even topped them with poached eggs as an amazing base to carb free eggs benedict.

Here is a meal prepped for lunch at work that contains all my favs air fried mahi mahi, roasted beets, roasted carrot, and a roasted tomato half. This is a delicious meal that feels decadent when you eat it but with none of the guilt.

The beauty of the air fryer is that you are in total control of the amount of oil that you are consuming. I will admit i am very stingy when it comes to oil. There have been a few things that i have made that did not brown to what others may call perfection, mostly breaded items and i knew it was due to the stingy amount of oil i used and i was ok with that. It was crispy and delicious just not as uniformly browned as a fully oil fried version would be. I do believe if i was more generous with the oil the air fried version would be comparable.

The best supporting tool that i have for my air fryer is my oil sprayer. I have used many different brands and not had much luck, including the misto. The best sprayer i have found that has stayed functional the longest is the Evo Oil Sprayer.

 

I have the Evo in this 18 oz size which i use for olive oil and keep handy by the stove, grill or air fryer. I also have the 8oz size that i use for other more expensive and less used oils. I originally found my first Evo in Whole Foods but have since found them on amazon. They are very reasonably priced and i have had no issues with clogging and i have had mine for a few years at least.

 

 

 

The air fryer is great for meats as well, i have made chicken tenders both breaded and naked, chicken wings are amazing both from scratch or frozen precooked, steak, pork chops, fish, shrimp. Everything i have tried has come out nicely browned and super juicy on the inside.

 

 

Not only is the air fryer good for savory dishes but i have also used it to make some no guilt sweet treats as well. One of my favorite no guilt sweet treats is baked apples, no sugar added, just diced apples, sprinkled with cinnamon, a splash of vanilla, tossed, lightly sprayed with olive or coconut oil and air fried until soft, topped with a little fat free whipped cream. YUM!!!

 

 

 

If you have had your doubts about needing an air fryer i hope that this post may have helped you make a decision. I have absolutely no regrets on this purchase and cannot imagine living without my Big Red Machine 🙂

Thank you for enduring my long product review, if you have any questions or would like to discuss air frying please feel free to reach out.

For the love of food and life.

J.