Jicama Fries with spicy seasoning

Jicamas ("Hee-kah-mah" or "Hick-ah-mah") are one of my favorites in salads. The crispy texture and hint of sweetness makes them perfect for the salads. I also like munching on them raw, just add some salt, lemon and red chilli powder to it and my snack time is sorted. I didn't think I can have Jicamas in any other way until a friend of mine mentioned to me that she loved sauted Jicama. So, I got a Jicama to saute it. But when I started peeling it, I felt a little adventurous and thought of trying to make some fries instead. Jicama fries are also called keto fries as they are low on carbs, yet they have a  great crunch to them.

Jicamas are root vegetables also known as Mexican Turnip. They are native to Mexico but are easily available in most grocery stores in North America. Jicamas have thick brown skin which is not edible but inside is white and crispy almost like an apple, just not as sweet. Also, it is very important to know that only the root of the Jicama plant is eatable; while the rest of the plant including the leaves, beans and anything else is toxic and must not be eaten in any form.

The root of Jicama plant which is edible (commonly referred to as Jicama) is very healthy. According to public sources, Jicamas are high in soluble fiber (6 gm/ cup) specifically "oligofructose inulin" which is a prebiotic that promotes growth of probiotics (good bacteria) in our body. These soluble fibers may help prevent diabetes and high blood cholesterol. Since Jicamas are high in water (85% - 90%) and fiber content, they help you feel full for longer period of time with fewer calories (50 cal/ cup). Jicamas are also low in carbs (11 gm/ cup) unlike potatoes, low in cholesterol and are fat free. They are an  excellent source of Vitamin A, C (antioxidant) and beta carotene. These are just few of many health benefits of this wonder root vegetable Jicama. They taste delicious whether you eat them raw or cooked. But when I have some time on hand, I like to eat them as fries. I season them with array of spices and flavors including turmeric that has anti-inflammatory properties. These fries are also great companion for movie time! You can have them with choice of your dip, ketchup, guacamole or cilantro dip. So let's get started...

Safety first!

• As mentioned above, only use the Jicama root and discard the rest of the plant as only the root is edible.
• Always peel the skin of Jicama. The skin is not edible. Be sure to peel the skin with a knife. I have tried peeling it with a peeler but it would only remove a thin layer, not the entire skin.
• Before you start peeling Jicama, cut the top and bottom first to help balance it on the chopping board. The flat surface and flat bottom will ensure that Jicama is not rolling on the board or slipping through your grip.

Additional notes/ Tips

• Alternatively, you can buy pre-cut Jicama from the store but it's little bit pricey. I rather just buy whole Jicama and peel.
• I have air fried the fries but you can also bake them in oven. I have given baking instructions below as well.  
• Adjust the level of spice in the seasoning per your need. If you don't like spicy fries, just reduce the amount of red chilli powder to suit your flavor buds. 

Prep time - 10 minutes
Cook time - 50 minutes 

Ingredients


1 Medium Jicama  
1 Tbsp olive oil/ vegetable oil
1/4 Tsp turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp chili powder or paprika
1/4 Tsp black pepper powder (optional)
1/4 Tsp cumin powder
1/2 Tsp black salt
1/2 Tsp salt (to taste)

1/2 Lemon

Salt for boiling
 

Instructions

First and foremost, start boiling water in a big stockpot (fill it up half way). 

Now start peeling Jicama's skin with a knife and be sure to remove the entire thick layered skin.

Evenly slice the Jicama. I sliced it into pieces about 1/4" thick. 

Add the sliced Jicama into the stockpot. Add some salt and boil them for about 25-35 minutes until they become tender.

While Jicama slices are boiling, preheat oven at 425°F if baking in oven. 

When fries become tender (see picture below), strain the water and transfer the boiled fries in a large mixing bowl. 

Add oil and all the dry ingredients (spices) in the bowl and coat the fries evenly with the seasoning. 

                             

For Oven - Now line baking tray with foil or parchment paper and lightly grease it with oil. Evenly spread the boiled and seasoned Jicama slices without crowding them. This would prevent them from becoming soft with steam. Bake for about 35-40 minutes until fries are golden brown or the desired texture is reached.

For Air fryer - Evenly spread the boiled and seasoned Jicama slices on the air fryer tray without crowding them. This would prevent them from becoming soft with steam. Air fry them for about 20 minutes at 425°F until the fries turn golden brown or desired texture is reached. 

Remove from oven and serve with your favorite dip (ketchup or chutney)! I highly recommend topping the crispy fries with dash of lemon juice for a little zesty twist. Enjoy these healthy fries without any guilt !

                                  

Veggie Quesadillas with quick Salsa & Guacamole

Hola foodies, hope you all are having a great weekend! Today, I will be sharing one of my favorite and easiest Mexican recipes of all time - Veggie Quesadillas with quick Salsa and Guacamole. It is one of the simplest and classic Mexican dishes that you can try to start your journey for the Mexican comidas (foods) or simply further your quest...

So what are Quesadillas? Originated from Mexico, the name Quesadillas come from Spanish word Queso means cheese and it literally translates to "cheesy little things". Traditionally the tortillas are toasted with melted cheese and sautéd vegetable or meat. I usually buy tortillas from the store as you can get many varieties that suits your need. In a quest to make this dish healthy, I try to buy whole wheat tortillas. You can also find them prepared from white flour, corn flour, or mix grains. This time I brought whole wheat tortilla with chia seeds. I love making these for my kid as I can add all sorts of veggies and sometimes beans too. These get eaten without any complains as they taste so yummm especially when I layer them with cheese! 

 

Mexican meal is incomplete without Salsa, Guacamole and tortilla chips. No matter which Mexican dish I make, I always have these sides to make a complete dish. The combination of Salsa, Guac and crunchy tortilla chips is just something that I can never get enough of. So, I will also share a quick Salsa and Guacamole recipe to make with Quesadillas. I do have a special recipe if I am making them for a party or for guests. I will keep that recipe for some other time. :) 

Most of all the health benefits come from the cheese and the type of veggies added to make the quesadillas. Cheese is healthy if eaten in moderation as it provides much needed calcium and protein to our bodies. Typically when I am preparing Mexican meal, I choose to go with four cheese Mexican blend (mix of Monterey jack, Cheddar, Asadero and Queso quesadilla cheese) which gives so much more flavor to the food. Veggies, as as you may know, have abundance of nutrients and are low in calories and fats. 

                         

Additional notes/ tips

• Any assortment of veggies can be used for stuffing. In my opinion, the vegetables that taste best in Quesadillas are corn, spinach, mushrooms, squash, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, colorful peppers, onions, etc...
• Cheese is an essential ingredient for this recipe. However, if you wish to keep this recipe vegetarian, you would want to pick some vegetarian cheese. A lot of cheese brands use enzymes from animal rennet in making cheese, so look for vegetarian rennet or microbial rennet on the ingredients label of the cheese.

Let's get started with this simple yet delicious Veggie Quesadillas with quick Salsa & Guacamole recipe...

Serves 4

Prepare time 10 minutes

Cook time 20 minutes

Ingredients 

For Quesadillas

1 Pack Tortillas (6 ct)

1 Cup cheese

1/4 Cup Vegenaise (optional)

1/2 Corn (Boiled)

1 Medium Zucchini

1/2 Green pepper

1/2 Red pepper

1 Tbsp cumin powder

1 Tsp oregano

1 Tsp black pepper powder 

2 Tbsp Oil for grilling vegetables

Oil for toasting Quesadillas 

Salt to taste

For 5 minute Salsa (Mild)

2 Medium tomatoes

1 Small red onion

1 Small bunch cilantro

1/2 Tsp Oregano (Prefer Mexican oregano)

1/4 Tsp Black pepper powder

1/2 Lemon

Salt to taste

For 2 minute Guacamole 

1 Medium Avocado

1/2 Lemon

1 Tbsp salsa 

Salt to taste

Instructions

Evenly dice all the vegetables listed above for Quesadillas, i.e. red and green bell peppers and zucchini. Remove corn kernel from the cob.  

Heat up oil in a pan and add all the diced vegetables and corn, and sauté them for about a minute. 

         

Add salt, cumin powder, black pepper powder and oregano. Mix everything well.

 

Sauté the vegetables for 4-5 minutes until they turn slightly brown. Turn off the heat and transfer the veggies to a bowl. Let the stuffing cool down. 

While the veggies are cooling down, let's quickly make the Salsa and Guacamole. 

To make Salsa, roughly chop tomatoes, onions and cilantro. Add them to the chopper along with salt, pepper, oregano and lemon juice. 

Chop everything finely and voila Salsa is ready. Transfer into a bowl and garnish with lemon slice and cilantro. 

To make Guacamole, cut the avocado to half and de-seed it. Roughly chop avocado and add to the chopper along with salt, lemon juice and one spoon of salsa you just prepared.

Since avocados are soft, when you run chopper they will turn into smooth creamy dip - Guacamole. Alternatively, you can also make Guacamole without a chopper. Just use a fork to smash the chopped avocados and mix the spices. Transfer in a bowl and garnish with avocado seed. The avocado seed also helps to keep the Guacamole from turning black. Quick 2-minute Guac is ready to serve!

Getting back to Quesadillas, once the stuffing has cooled down, spread vegenaise on the tortilla. Just spread on one half of the tortilla as shown in the picture below. This step is optional, if you don't have vegenaise, just skip to next step. However, I recommend adding vegenaise to make the Quesadillas creamy! 

Now spread the sautéd vegetables over the layer of vegenaise on the tortilla. Here you can add as thick of a layer of veggies as you desire.

Next generously spread cheese over the veggies. Again you can add as little or more cheese per your desire. 

Fold the tortilla and keep it aside. Repeat the same process on the rest of the tortillas.

Next heat up the pan on a medium flame. Drizzle about 1 tbsp of oil.

Place two of the folded tortillas on the pan as shown in the picture below. Toast them for about a minute or until the tortillas are nicely toasted with brown spots at the bottom. 

Flip them over to toast the other side. If you are comfortable, you can flip them inside the pan. Otherwise transfer them to a plate, flip them and slide back to the pan. 

                             

Again toast them for another minute to toast evenly. 

Transfer them to a plate and repeat the process with the rest of the folded tortillas. Slice them with a knife or cutter in your preferred shape.

Hot, cheesy and loaded with veggies Quesadillas are ready to eat. Serve them with tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole.