I love french fries. There’s nothing quite like biting into the perfectly seasoned french fry with just the right amount of crisp on the outside. The technique in this recipe results in fries that are crisp on the outside but not overdone to the point of being dried out. Although the technique has a few extra steps involved, the end result of the perfect, crispiest fries is worth the effort.

The sauce in this recipe adds yet another special layer to the deliciousness! With a big kick of garlic, the combination of hummus and tahini create a unique flavor. This sauce could be adapted to use as a dipping sauce or dressing for other foods as well.

The controversy of frying.

When done right frying=crunchy, crispy, golden brown deliciousness that is rich and not excessively greasy. When done wrong frying=greasy, nasty, soggy, and laden with calories. There are some tricks to help you fry food more effectively and get the crispiest fries possible.

Here are some tips on how to fry effectively for tasty food that doesn’t pack on the pounds.

1. Keep the oil clean. It takes a lot of oil to deep fry, but seriously, use fresh oil.
2. Choose your oil carefully. Use a heart-healthy oil with a high smoke point.
3. Season the batter and breading with plenty of salt and pepper and spice. Go easy on the sugar as it can cause the batter to burn. Gluten-free ingredients like cornmeal and rice flour absorb less oil, so bonus for no gluten. Carbonated liquids and baking soda can help the batter to puff up.
4. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the oil and check that it is optimally hot for the food. This ensures that you reduce the amount of oil that the foods absorb.
5. Turn on the vent fan and use a fry screen to avoid mess.
6. Drain foods on a wire cooling rack. I greatly prefer this method to paper towels which can get soggy.
7. And fry in moderation. No one is arguing that fried food daily is healthy.

The Benefits of Oven Frying

While many people think that the benefits of oven frying are only reduced exposure to fats and oils, there is actually a lot more.

Oven-fried foods are less likely to cause heartburn in people with acid reflux. They are also less likely to cause gastrointestinal upset in people with irritable bowel syndrome.

In people with heart disease, deep fried foods bring not only extra calories, but also additional artery-clogging fats.

But the Crunch!

The enticement of fried foods is the distinct crunch that is undeniably delicious. To get the crunch that everyone loves, this recipe uses arrowroot powder to coat the outside of the potatoes.

Arrowroot powder is not only gluten-free, but grain-free and paleo friendly. It is a starchy substance extracted from the root of a tropical plan, the Maranta arundinacea. This root roughly resembles cassava, yucca, or kudzu when harvested.

The best part about arrowroot powder is that it has no flavor so you can season it with any dried spices that you want.

The only downside with coating with arrowroot powder in these crispiest fries is that the potatoes do not get as golden brown as they do uncoated or deep fried.

Make it A Meal

Serve the Crispiest Fries with Garlic Tahini Sauce alongside the Vegan Mushroom Lentil Burgers for a summer grill out, tailgate, or quick, make ahead meal.

Plant-based meat products are becoming more and more popular. While vegan and vegetarian meat options used to be limited, more people are looking for alternatives to meat. Now you can find plant-based meat products in almost every grocery store, nicer restaurants, and even some fast food places. Still, lots of people are unsure about eating plant-based meat. If this is you, these Beyond Meat Taquitos may be a great place to start.

What is plant based meat?

Plant-based meat, or meat alternatives, approximates aesthetic qualities or chemical characteristics of specific types of meat. Plant based options include hamburger, chicken, pulled pork, and even shrimp or crab.

What is it made of?

Soy and gluten are common in plant-based meats, but so too are ancient grains like quinoa, millet, and amaranth, beans and legumes like black beans, chickpeas, mung beans, and even potatoes, rice, and vegetable and fruit extracts, like pomegranate and beet juice for color. Pea protein is having a major moment in faux meats as well. This is the base of the spectacularly popular Beyond Meat.

Plant-based heme is another key ingredient making headlines in the Impossible Burger. It is generated via fermentation of GMO yeast that contains the DNA of soy proteins that produce heme.

Why eat plant-based meat?

Some people want to try a #meatlessmonday for social media, and others make plant-based eating a key part of life. Eating plants helps:

1. Decrease body weight.
2. Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
3. Decrease waist and hip circumference.
4. Decrease blood pressure.
5. Reduce total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, ‘bad’) cholesterol.
6. Reduce the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
7. Increase testosterone in men.
8. Improve erectile dysfunction.

Does eating plant-based meat increase the risk of protein or vitamin deficiencies?

When you eat a plant-based diet, the biggest vitamin deficiency risk is Vitamin B12. Studies suggest that vegans have lower serum B12, and up to 50% of vegans may be deficient. If you decide to eat a plant-based diet, taking a B vitamin supplement is quick, simple, and readily available. This ensures that you have adequate B12.

Protein deficiency is, in my opinion, a myth of not eating meat. I have never seen a study to suggest that humans require meat to get adequate protein. In most cases, protein deficiency only affects very impoverished areas where malnutrition is a concern. Studies conclude that even people who eat 100% plant-based diets over-consume protein daily. Protein consumption is dramatically higher than recommended in boys and men aged 14-70 years old.

Furthermore, vegans and vegetarians consume significantly more iron per 1000 calories. Even better, the iron is the in non-heme form of iron that is less likely to cause iron toxicity.

I agree with the American Dietitians Association and Canadian Dietician Association. Vegetarian diets are healthy for people of all races, ages, and genders.

Ready to give it a go?

You are going to love these flavorful Beyond Meat Taquitos! You may also want to try  Beyond Meat Bolognese or Vegan Baked Ziti.

Make it a Meal

Add Mexican Pinto Bean Salad and a few Refreshing Virgin Watermelon Margaritas to finish off your meal. You may also want to try Mexican Roasted Chickpeas as a topping for your taquitos!

What is Jackfruit?

Once you see it, you’ll never unsee it. The jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig family. The tough skin, the abundant fruit, the prominent seeds, makes sense right? During the season, the jackfruit goes from a bland, meaty texture to sweet candy food from across the world. How can you work with the meaty texture, and create a gluten-free, family pleasing taco with an Asian twist? Check out these Pulled Jackfruit BBQ Sandwiches with Gojuchang BBQ Sauce.

What is Gojuchang?

Basically, a fermented chili paste from Korea. Gojuchang brings spicy, sweet, sour, and salty flavor with deep umami. Fermentation has been shown to help make a wide variety of ingredients more digestible, including cabbage, nightshades, and water-laden vegetables like cucumbers.

Health Benefits of Jackfruit

Jackfruit is an excellent meat substitute when it is green. It is naturally low in sugar and fat, and packed full of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium. It is also rich in fiber which helps you to stay fuller longer.

Be aware, jackfruit doesn’t have as much protein as meat does, so consider using it in recipes that have legumes, nuts or seeds to bump up the amount of protein in the meal.

Coleslaw

When I was living in North Carolina I first was introduced to coleslaw as a topping for all things savory, saucy, grilled, and barbecued, and I loved it!

As a kid raised in the South, coleslaw was a simple summer staple and one of the first dishes I learned to cook. This veganized version still sticks with the classic combination of mayonnaise, vinegar, and a tiny bit of sugar, but we continued the Asian theme and used rice wine vinegar instead of apple cider or white wine vinegar.

Make it a Meal

Serve these Pulled Jackfruit BBQ Sandwiches alongside Crispiest Fries with Garlic Tahini Sauce.

I recently asked my fellow vegan friend, Toby, if he had a great keto recipe to share. And let me tell you, these keto vegan cacao truffles are (pardon the pun) amaze-balls. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did.

Toby’s Euphoric Keto Vegan Cacao Truffles

Here’s the deal: I LOVE chocolate. I was the kid begging to lick the brownie batter bowl, and I will probably ask to be buried with chocolate in my casket. Over the years and through the iterations of various nutrition regimens, my chocolate palate has refined. You see, I value my health too much to eat any old store bought chocolate, and raw chocolate at the health food store is quite pricey. My solution: make my own richly decadent, super tasty chocolate in bulk! If you are a fellow chocoholic, I guarantee you are going to rejoice over this recipe for keto vegan truffles.

Featured Ingredient

This recipe uses xylitol, which occurs naturally in most plants. The highest quality xylitol is derived from birch wood. I recommend purchasing birch xylitol because other xylitol tends to be derived from low-quality, genetically modified and pesticide-sprayed corn.

Xylitol tastes sweet, but unlike sugar, it is not converted in the mouth to acids that cause tooth decay. In fact, it restricts levels of decay-causing bacteria in saliva.

Here’s to tasty sweets and healthy teeth! Check out this post to read more about the benefits of xylitol.

Make it a Meal

Chocolate truffles are the perfect end to a warming, delicious and satisfying bowl of soup like this vegan Borscht.

Forget making a meal! I want more sweets. Okay! Come check out this decadent Salted Caramel Cheesecake.

Guest Blogger Feature

Toby Gant is a Certified Holistic Life Coach and Registered Yoga Teacher. He created his intuitive holistic coaching business, Shekhinah Holistic, from his desire to help others discover their true essence, thus creating balance, harmony, and fulfillment.