Let’s cut right to the chase. Fried. Food. Is. Not. Healthy. Can you work it into a healthy lifestyle once in awhile? Well, that’s up to you and your goals. But if you’ve been listening to Chalene’s podcasts or reading any of our blog posts about inflammation, you know that the hot oils used in fryers (and most restaurants and packaged foods) are inflammatory. They create free radicals in your body. Sure, they make foods crispy and dripping with grease, but they’ll never be good for your body. We constantly respond to the push and pull of taste vs health in our recipes. Hence, this healthy version of zucchini fries.
Zucchini Fries Highlights
- Baked, not fried. (Optional: try them air fried too!)
- Made with hemp seeds, a great source of plant-based protein. They have a mild, nutty flavor and are often referred to as hemp hearts. They contain over 30% fat containing two essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3).
- Nutritional yeast gives them a plant-based cheesy flavor (check out this recipe using it too)
- No inflammatory oils
Want to know a bit more about air frying? Watch this tutorial below.
Let us know what you think of our healthy Zucchini Fries recipe in the comments section!
Zucchini Fries
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 large or 2-3 small zucchini (380g)
- 1 cup hemp seeds
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice ends off zucchini. Slice in half, then slice each half into about 10 large French fries. Dry well with paper towels.
- In a small blender or mini food processor, add the hemp, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt and pepper and pulse until the hemp breaks down and you’re left with crumbs the size of sand. Pour onto a plate.
- Lightly whisk egg and yolks in a shallow dish. Dip zucchini in to egg mixture, followed by the hemp mixture, pressing well and coating all sides.
- Lay onto a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper. Coat tops with cooking spray.
- Bake for 23-25 minutes or until golden. Serve with any of the 131 creamy dressings, mayonnaise or a store-bought Paleo mayo.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 324| Protein: 21g | Fat: 22.5g | Carbs: 8g | Fiber: 5g | Net Carbs: 3g
Is there another panko like alternative you can recommend other than hemp???
Hey Chelsea,
You could try many different versions like different nut powders or other store versions that fit your needs (like gluten free or grain free).