Thursday, July 7, 2011

Z-Fries.


Tonight for dinner I decided to make Snack Girl's "Z-Fries" (aka Zucchini Fries) as a side dish. Z-Fries are suppose to be a healthy substitute to the delectably greasy, crispy, crunchy salty french fry.

Usually I'm a bit leery of trying out a new 'healthy' recipe for the first time for dinner, since I have not had great success from some very famous foodie's 'health food' recipes in the past and have ruined a meal from a recipe turning out to being a total flop. But I figured how hard could it be to mess up this simple recipe? But I also wondered how is this fry going to compare to the epic french fry?! Is it going to be a soggy bland flop or will it be beyond our expectations?! The greater question being - will my super picky, alpha-male meat+potato eating DH even like it? ....... pins + needles!!!!

Luckily I have several farm fresh zucchinis that I brought back with me from home. I quickly made work of slicing up fry wedges (even though most of my wedges are a bit wonky shaped). Easy! I combine all of the ingredients, except I make 2 separate batches - #1 the original recipe oregano batch. #2 an oregano/Cajun season mix (hey I'm a spicy Southern gal, I love Cajun fries... I'm already out on a limb, so why not?!)

So I prep and bake as the recipe suggests (note - do NOT skip the flipping mid-bake, otherwise it could be a burnt disaster) Once done baking, I let the Z-fries cool and I taste test..... drum roll....... DELISH! These are waaaaay better than french fries!!!! So I grab a plate, squirt some ketchup and serve some to DH. ***Holds Breath***  He loves them! He also agreed these were far tastier than french fries.

Win-Win!   These little healthy morsels were amazing! Crispy, slightly salty, savory with a hint of subtle soft zucchini meaty sweetness! I loved the fries plain, however I also adored them with ketchup! Snack Girl suggests even serving with a marinara sauce - which I bet is equally amazing! And the best part of all - ONLY 161 calories with 9 grams of protein, and over 4 grams of fiber!!!

Z-fries hot from the oven!

So check out this recipe and let me know what you think about these savory substitutes! Enjoy!

Zucchini Fries Recipe  (2 servings)

  • 2 zucchinis
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup corn meal
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • non-stick spray
  • 2 teaspoons oregano (optional)
Heat oven to 425 F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with non stick spray. Slice zucchinis in half and then again in half along the length. You should have 4 quarters. Slice quarters into 5 slim pieces. Put egg whites in a shallow bowl and beat with fork until a little froth appears. Mix bread crumbs, corn meal, salt, and oregano (optional) in a shallow bowl.

Dip zucchini pieces into egg whites, and then into bread crumb mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for 10 minutes longer. Serve with ketchup or marinara sauce.
These can be made ahead and just eaten at room temperature. They are best out of the oven.

161 calories, 1.6 g fat, 30.0 g carbohydrates, 9.3 g protein, 4.3 g fiber, 200 mg sodium, 4 PointsPlus

source: http://www.snack-girl.com/snack/zucchini-fries-recipe/


Southern girl note - yes, these are very much like the same full-on fried zucchini as I had as a child. However these are not nearly as greasy bad AND you have more options of seasoning these with different herbs + spices adding a zesty mix on a classic Southern favourite dish!

2 comments: