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:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine Panko, Parmesan and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- Working in batches, dredge zucchini in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
- Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
- 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.
ZUCCHINI SLIDERS
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:
- Thoroughly rinse your zucchini and pat the excess moisture with a towel.
- Carefully cut off the ends. Now simply cut across the zucchini to slice into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
- Sprinkle rounds with a tiny bit of salt and pepper, then set aside on paper towels.
- In a medium bowl, combine ground beef and all seasonings; stir until well combined.
- Shape your ground beef into 8 equal sized mini-patties, about 1-inch thick.
- Gently pat zucchini rounds dry with paper towels.
- 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.
- Set zucchini aside on a plate.
- 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.
- Continue to cook until the beef is done to your liking and cheese is nice and melty!
- 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:
- Preheat oven to broil.
- 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.
- Place zucchini rounds onto a large baking sheet. Top each zucchini round with marinara, mozzarella and pepperoni minis.
- Place into oven and cook until the cheese has melted, about 1-2 minutes.
- 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:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
- 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.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
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