Zucchini is extremely low in calories but gives us the feeling of being full. Therefore, it is a great way to satisfy our appetites without grabbing lots of empty calories or carbs.

BAKED ZUCCHINI FRIES

These fries are amazingly crisp-tender and healthy with just 135.4 calories. And no one would ever believe that these are baked!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup Panko crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine Panko, Parmesan and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
3. Working in batches, dredge zucchini in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
4. Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
5. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

NOTES: *Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb and can be found in the Asian section of your local grocery store.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 extra large zucchini (or 2 medium/large), cut into 16 1/2inch-slices
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 4 slices of cheddar cheese, cut into quarters to get 4 small squares
• avocado oil cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

1. Thoroughly rinse your zucchini and pat the excess moisture with a towel.
2. Carefully cut off the ends. Now simply cut across the zucchini to slice into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
3. Sprinkle rounds with a tiny bit of salt and pepper, then set aside on paper towels.
4. In a medium bowl, combine ground beef and all seasonings; stir until well combined.
5. Shape your ground beef into 8 equal sized mini-patties, about 1-inch thick.
6. Gently pat zucchini rounds dry with paper towels.
7. Lightly grease a large skillet with avocado oil cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat, then add sliced zucchini rounds, cook until slightly charred, about 1-2 minutes per side.
8. Set zucchini aside on a plate.
9. Add burger patties to the pan and sear each side until nicely golden, about 2-4 minutes. Flip to the other side, then add the cheese.
10. Continue to cook until the beef is done to your liking and cheese is nice and melty!
11. Assemble your burger sliders as shown, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

ZUCCHINI PIZZA BITES

Healthy, nutritious pizza bites that come together in just 15 minutes with only 5 ingredients!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup finely grated mozzarella
• 1/4 cup pepperoni minis
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, add zucchini and cook, flipping once, until golden, about 1-2 minutes on each side; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Place zucchini rounds onto a large baking sheet. Top each zucchini round with marinara, mozzarella and pepperoni minis.
4. Place into oven and cook until the cheese has melted, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Italian seasoning, if desired.

BAKED PARMESAN ZUCCHINI

Crisp, tender zucchini sticks oven-roasted to perfection. It’s healthy, nutritious and completely addictive!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Place zucchini onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan mixture. Place into the oven and bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
4. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Recipes from:

https://cleanfoodcrush.com/

https://damndelicious.net/