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Who loves french fries? Wait, a better question is, who doesn't love french fries?! They come with every meal and taste so dang good. French fries are usually made from white potatoes but they can also be made from sweet potatoes or really any vegetable for that matter! White potatoes taste great but they don't give us as much nutrition as other vegetables can. One of my favorite vegetables to french fry are Jicamas. Raise your hand if you have never heard of a Jicama before or are even unsure as to how to pronounce that word! The word Jicama actually means Mexican turnip and is a root vegetable. Jicamas are an underrated and often unheard of vegetable that is so nutrient dense. They contain high amounts of fiber, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, vitamin B-6 and so many more nutrients.
Jicamas are not only packed full of nutrients but they are also lower in carbohydrates when compared to regular white or sweet potatoes making it more weight loss friendly. Too many carbohydrates in one sitting can be easily stored as body fat and more often than not, the small french fry from your favorite fast food place has more carbohydrates than you need to burn off at that time, depending on your activity level. Lowering your overall carbohydrates helps with weight loss because your body will turn to burning body fat in absence of carbs which in turn creates quick and efficient weight loss!
To give you a quick idea of the texture of a Jicama, I like to describe it as an apple mixed with a potato. It has the toughness of an apple when raw but looks just like a potato! I would recommend to try a Jicama cooked because it has a taste and texture similar to potatoes and make a great healthier french fry! There are so many different ways to make Jicama fries and you can get creative by adding your own seasoning or even dipping it in my favorite Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo. I can put that stuff on anything! It's so tasty and healthier than other mayo because it is made with avocado oil instead of highly processed canola, vegetable or soybean oil that can cause inflammation. I like to put a tablespoon on the side of my Jicama fries to dip them in! I also prefer to cook with avocado oil because it has a high smoke point which means it can handle high heat and won't break down whereas olive oil has a lower smoke point which means it will start to burn and oxidize in high temperature which can cause inflammation.
I absolutely love spicy things so I made my Jicama fries with a little bit of a spicy kick. You can make yours however you would like whether it just be with salt and pepper or any of your favorite herbs or spices! My first batch was way too heavy on the cayenne pepper and had an intense, almost over powering kick to it! So be cautious with the cayenne! For my spicy Jicama fries, all you need are:
1 medium-large Jicama
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt Sprinkle of cayenne
Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil (add salt to the water to boil faster)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
Peel or cut the skin off Jicama until it is just the white inside (looks very similar to a potato)
Slice Jicama into french fry shapes
Once water is boiling, place Jicama fries into the boiling water for 10 minutes
Turn burner off and remove from heat and strain the Jicama fries
Let cool for 5 minutes
Place strained Jicama fries into a bowl containing the avocado oil and spices
Mix together until well coated
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes
Remove from oven, let cool for 5-10 minutes, plate and add the Primal Kitchen mayo as a topper
Enjoy!
Such an easy recipe and one of my favorites for when I am craving french fries. Give this recipe a try or get creative and add your own herbs and spices! If you try this recipe, let me know what you think by commenting below or tagging me on instagram @inspirednutritionandhealth and share with your friends! Happy Friday!