Avocado Fries

These are not your average French fry! To make avocado fries, avocados are coated in coconut flakes and baked in the oven until perfectly toasted and crispy. Try serving avocado fries with your favorite dipping sauce as a delicious snack or side dish!

Why we love these avocado fries

If you are a nutrition therapist or someone who follows a nutrient-dense diet, avocado and coconut may be some of your favorite ingredients. Both avocado and coconut are fantastic sources of healthy fats, even though both are fruits! Plus, avocado and coconut are endlessly versatile – from using avocado in chocolate pudding, to making dairy-free frosting from coconut cream – these high-fat foods are kitchen favorites.

Here are 3 benefits of consuming avocados and coconut:

Supports gut health

One avocado packs in 14g of fiber – just about half the recommended daily value! Additionally, avocado consumption has been shown to help improve bacterial diversity in the gut. However, if you notice digestive issues such as bloating, gas or diarrhea after eating avocado, you may be sensitive to sorbitol. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that belongs to the polyol FODMAP group. Learn more about the nutritional value of avocado in an earlier blog post.

Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber, but the interesting gut-related benefits are the antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Coconut oil specifically has shown to be effective against bacteria such as P. aeruginosa, E. coli, Proteus vulgaris, and Bacillus subtilis. The fatty acids in coconut oil, such as lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid, have been shown to inhibit bacterial growth. If working with a nutrition therapist on a therapeutic protocol, coconut-based supplements are often used to address bacterial or fungal overgrowths.

Improves heart health

Avocados are particularly high in monounsaturated fats, which are known to reduce risk of heart disease. Consuming avocados has shown to positively impact blood markers related to heart health.

Coconut products are high in saturated fat, which we have been misled to believe is one of the main causes of heart disease because it raises LDL cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol (this is referred to as the diet-heart hypothesis). In reality, saturated fat raises HDL, the “good” cholesterol. Saturated fat also improves the quality and size and type of cholesterol. Most importantly, saturated fat lowers the total cholesterol to HDL ratio, which is a far better predictor of heart disease than just LDL!

Promotes healthy body weight

Although both avocados and coconut are sometimes feared because they are high in calories, there is plenty of evidence to show high-fat diets increase satiety hormones to help eat less overall, prevent overeating and reduce snacking in between meals. Additionally, low-fat diets can come with risks such as nutrient malabsorption, poor blood glucose management, reproductive issues and mood-related problems.

Foods like avocado and coconut are packed with nutrients along with their high fiber and healthy fat content. Fats are an important part of a balanced diet, as long as they are coming from unprocessed foods that are naturally high in fats!

Fats in a healthy diet

As with any nutrition question, context is everything – high fat foods should be eaten alongside whole foods, not with high-sugar, high-starch, processed foods. So enjoy some high-fat avocado fries with your colorful salad and healthy protein!

Still confused about which foods have healthy fats and how much fat should be consumed in a healthy diet? Becoming a Nutrition Therapist Master will provide you with an evidence-based education to gain a deep understanding of nutrition science! If you are interested in gaining cooking skills to prepare nourishing healthy foods, find out more about the Natural Food Chef program.

Avocado Fries

Ingredients

3 ripe (but not overripe) avocados

½ cup coconut flour

4 eggs

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
2. Slice avocados lengthwise – for three avocados, you’ll get 18-24 fries (6-8 per avocado depending on the size).
3. Set up three bowls in an “assembly line”: in the first bowl, add the ½ cup of coconut flour.
4. Crack the eggs into the middle bowl, beat lightly and add garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
5. In the last bowl, add the shredded coconut.
6. Dredge each avocado slice through the flour, and then the beaten egg. Coat thoroughly with the shredded coconut and place on the baking sheet.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool for about ten minutes and serve with dipping sauce of your choice (try the Fry Sauce below!).

Makes 6 servings

Fry Sauce

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tsp pickle brine

¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce

Pinch of smoked paprika

Pinch of salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Stir together all the ingredients. Best served chilled.

Find more avocado recipes:

Paleo Greek Salad with Avo-Ziki Dressing

Super Spring Salad With Sesame Chive Dressing

Kale Guacamole

Kale Energy Salad

Avocado, White Bean and Tuna Salad

Avocado Chocolate Pudding

Find more coconut recipes:

4-Ingredient Coconut Yogurt

Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Rich Thai Broccoli Fish Stew

Macaroons with Chia Jam

Paleo Lamb Burgers with Dairy Free Tzatziki

Raw Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Superfood Bars

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Perfect Carrot Cake with Cashew Frosting

Want to learn how to create and prepare recipes like this?

Join our Natural Food Chef Program! Picture yourself in your kitchen surrounded by nothing but organic vegetables, whole grains, top-quality meats, eggs, and a range of the more unusual things like pâté, kimchi, kefir and bone broth. If you resonate with the idea of creating delicious meals that are not only healthy but downright regenerative, then join us for our 15-week Natural Chef program! Reach out to our Admissions team with any questions about the NFC program:

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Did you make this recipe?

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About the Author: Daina Rasutis is a graduate of NTI’s Nutrition Therapist Master Program. Her background in Environmental Engineering has allowed her to combine the best of science with a love for nutrition, sustainability & delicious food. Follow Daina’s cooking creations and lifestyle tips on her website: www.tabletocrave.com

Images by Daina Rasutis