It’s that time again – when gardens are bursting with fresh summer vegetables – and zucchini runneth over! I have been getting e-mails asking for my favorite ways to prepare zucchini, and the great news is that moist, mild-tasting zucchini is extremely versatile.
For breakfast, sliced or grated zucchini can be tossed into omelets, breakfast bakes and frittatas, for lunch it makes a great addition, whether raw or cooked, to salads and sandwiches, and for dinner a wonderful cooked side.
The trick to making crispy, healthy zucchini chips is to either air-fry them or bake them in a hot oven on a wire rack. Using a rack exposes all sides of the breaded rounds to the heat, crisping the seasoned breadcrumb as well as the Parmesan coating. Either way you cook them, these will disappear faster than you can say zucchini!
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2teaspoon garlic salt
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
2 1/2 cups zucchini slices, cut 1/8-inch thick on the diagonal (about 2 medium zucchini)
1. Preheat the oven or an air-fryer to 400°F. For the oven, place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.
2. In a wide, shallow bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, oregano, and garlic salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg white and water. Dip each zucchini slice into the egg mixture; then roll in breadcrumbs.
3. If baking in the oven, place the slices onto the wire rack and repeat until all of the zucchini has been coated. For the air-fryer place slices onto a plate until all are coated.
4. Lightly spray rounds with cooking spray and air-fry for 6 to 7 minutes or bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until well browned. Serve hot.
Dare to Compare: A single small serving of Fried Zucchini contains almost twice as much sodium, four times the carbohydrates and calories, and eight times the fat as these Oven-Fried Zucchini Rounds.
Nutrition Information Per Serving: 1/2 cup |Calories 80 | Carbohydrate 9g (Sugars 2g) |Total Fat 2.5g (Sat Fat 1.5 | Protein 6g | Fiber 1 g | Cholesterol 5mg | Sodium 350mg |Food Exchanges: 1/2 Vegetable, 1/2 Starch | Carbohydrate Choices: 1/2 | Freestyle Smart Points: 2
