These Oven-Baked Okra Bites are an easy and healthy recipe made with only 7 clean, real food ingredients. They're the perfect plant-based snack, appetizer, or side dish that's ready to enjoy in under 30 minutes!{ Plant-Based | Vegan | Gluten-Free | Dairy-Free | Soy-Free | Flourless | Lectin-Free | Paleo-Friendly | Medical Medium* }
Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then set aside.
Prepare the bread crumbs:
Add all ingredients for the bread crumbs to a small bowl and stir until well combined.
Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Prepare the okra:
Cut both ends off each piece of okra and discard. Slice the okra pods into 1/4 inch slices.
Transfer the okra slices to a medium-size mixing bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon avocado oil and toss with the okra slices until it's evenly distributed.
Add 1/2 of the bread crumb mixture to the bowl of okra slices and gently toss until it's evenly distributed and all pieces are covered.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of avocado oil onto the breaded okra and gently toss again, taking care to not shake off the existing bread crumb coating.
Add the remaining 1/2 of the bread crumb mixture and gently toss again, taking care not to shake off the existing bread crumb coating.
Gently transfer the coated okra sliced to the prepared cookie sheet and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
Remove the baking pan from the oven, flip over each piece and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until they're golden brown.
Best when served warm from the oven.
Notes
Preparation: The avocado oil and bread crumbs will be divided in this recipe. You will toss the okra with the avocado oil then with the bread crumbs once with the first half of the ingredients, then a second time with the second half of the ingredients. The second coating helps the breading stay the okra.Okra: Fresh okra works best in this recipe. In addition, cutting the okra into 1/4 inch pieces (not too thick and not too thin) will give the best results.Avocado Oil: I like to use avocado oil when baking in the oven at high heat, but you can substitute with organic extra-virgin olive oil.*Nutritional Yeast: To make this recipe 100% Medical Medium compliant, omit the nutritional yeast and substitute with additional spices or use an organic chickpea bread crumb instead of the bread crumb mixture listed in the recipe. However, you would need to run them through a Vitamix or food processor to make the texture finer so they will stick to the okra better.Cayenne Pepper: I add this ingredient to give the bread crumbs a little spicy flavor, but it can be omitted or substituted with ground smoked paprika if you don't like spicy.Himalayan Pink Salt. This is my salt of preference, however, it can always be substituted with sea salt.Serving Size: This recipe will make approximately (12) sliced pods of okra. Nutritional information is for (3) sliced pods which is (1) serving.