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Paleo Crispy Baked Okra

paleo crispy baked okra

Yeah that’s right, it’s okra and it’s crispy!

Oh my, it’s okra Season!  Okra gets such a bad wrap as the slimy green veggie with the big weird seeds.  It’s been condemned to live most of its life as a second fiddle to treatments such as gumbos and stews where its strange sticky qualities will go unnoticed.  But I think that’s a crying shame, because with the proper treatment, fresh baked okra can get a standing ovation (and an empty bowl) all on its own!  And nobody will even know they’ve just eaten a serious power punch of nutrition!

Okra is FULL of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, A, K, Folate, Niacin, Thiamin, B6, magnesium, manganese, carotene, as well as lutein and zeazanthin [crucial for eye health].  It contains polysaccharides that improve blood circulation.  It contains numerous antioxidants such as epicatechin, catechin, rutin, procyanidin B1 and B2 and quercetin which help the body prevent damage from oxidative stress and environmental factors.  And what about that gooey liquid that gives it such a bad wrap?  Surprise, that’s the best part! The gel-like fiber (mucilage) soothes and coats the intestines, and as I’ve discussed HERE a healthy gut is crucial for overall health.  This is the same stuff found in aloe vera and it’s SUPER healing.

One note, if you have a sensitivity to nightshades (such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers) that irritates an autoimmune issue, joint pain, arthritic tendencies or other inflammation, it may be best to avoid okra.  While technically not a nightshade, it does possess the same compound, solanine, responsible for the irritation.  Know your body!

okra cut

Be sure to dry it thoroughly before you cut it!

But it’s so slimy, isn’t it? Not if you handle it correctly.  The key to avoiding a slimy end-product is to keep the okra DRY as much as possible while you’re preparing it.  After you wash it, give it a good long time to dry, and maybe help it out with a pat down with a dish towel.  If you keep the moisture away, the gel won’t seep out and you end up with an amazing crispy outside with a soft chewy center.  Don’t believe me, give it a try!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Okra
  • 2 TB coconut oil
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
[Did I mention this is SUPER simple?!?!]

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Wash and thoroughly dry the okra.  Once dried, roughly chop okra and toss with coconut oil and seasoning.  Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, stirring the mix once about halfway through.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

 

okra roasted

Woops, caught myself stealing a bite!

I last served this with stewed collard greens and slow roasted chicken.  What’s your favorite food combination with fresh okra?

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9 comments

  1. This is amazing. Why did I never think to roast okra? I cooked mine a little longer for extra crisp. In Olive oil instead of coconut oil. I was being lazy and didn’t want to melt the coconut oil first ha.

  2. This is in the oven using avocado oil and shallot salt, and the first piece I tested (for quality control) is awesome! great way to eat okra

  3. Would this work with frozen okra?

    • Lisa, I’m not sure how it would turn out with frozen okra. Part of the trick to getting the okra to really crisp up and avoid being a gooey mess is to make sure it’s super dry before you bake it. I’m inclined to think you’d end up with a soggy mess (or at least a less crispy/more gooey version). If you’ve got some on hand and are brave enough to risk it, give it a try and let us know how it works! The worst that can happen is you have a softer end product full of nourishing, gut-healing vitamins and healthy fats 🙂

  4. Great idea! I have made grilled okra before but was looking for how to roast it since I don’t have a grill of my own. I made it with olive oil and even though I didn’t dry it, just shook the water off, it worked well! A little soft outside, but not at all slimy.

  5. Have you ever tried backing them whole? I’m sure re inflammatory part isn’t the best for me considering I’ve been called a poster child for auto-immune diseases, but I love love LOVE ikra fried or freeze dried and can’t always find any freeze dried and def don’t want to fry it.
    Thinking I’ll give it a go and see how it works since I found some fresh organically grown okra on the cheap.

    • I’ve never tried baking them whole. I have a feeling they’d never crisp up nicely since the crunch comes from cooking the goopy insides up. It may be a kind of crunchy on the outside, moooshy on the inside sensation. Which can be awesome if done right, or in the case of okra goo, might be pretty unpleasant. Give it a try and let us know how it works!

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