This month, I’m starting with a confession: I love fried pickles, AKA frickles.
To be honest, I ate them recently at a bar while on date night with my man. Then, I went back to that same bar with friends on my birthday, and they were my only indulgence. I even chose them over cake. That’s big for me! I love cake!
But, I also love pickles. Why do I love thee? Well, cucumbers are hydrating and filled with fiber and vitamins, and when they’re pickled, they’re crunchy, salty, and virtually calorie-free. Some pickles are also fermented, which means major gut health benefits. (How to tell? Most pickles on the shelf at the supermarket made with vinegar are not fermented; look for brands that say “naturally fermented” and are stocked in the refrigerator. Or, ferment your cukes at home.)
Pickles are the perfect addition to salads, sandwiches, and bunless burgers and work perfectly as a finger food…watching a game or while sitting at a bar. Martini not included.
And fried…sigh. Frickles are just delicious to the point of dreamy.
But I’m a nutritionist, of course, so my go-to thought is: How can I make this a food that works for you instead of against you? How can I take out all of the bad stuff like the white flour, unhealthy oils, and the process of deep frying but keep the flavor?
How to Make Fried Pickles Healthier
My solution: Bickles.
What the heck are bickles? Well, the first step is to replace the “fr” for fried with a “b” for baked. And instead of breadcrumbs, I coat them with almond flour and add antioxidant-rich spices like cayenne pepper.
The result is a baked pickle that comes with a kick but without the greasy taste. Compared to frickles, they taste “cleaner,” but the flavor’s still intact since most of it comes from the pickle itself, anyway.
Get the recipe, here, and serve them as part of a burger-and-salad night, as finger food while watching a game, or as a snack for the kiddies.
Bon appétit!