healthy snacking: zucchini fries edition

     It's hard to imagine fries being anything but potato. Though potatoes are perfect for being a fry, I think half the reason they are so addicting is because of their easy finger food nature and finger licking saltiness. But lets face it - all that grease and starch is doing nothing for my hips and already large behind.

     Enter zucchini fries! They are easy to make and much nicer to my mid-region. They are delightful as a snack or as a side dish (I had mine aside homemade bean burgers!). I spike up the addicting factor with romano cheese and dried dill. Yum.

up close and personal

     My boyfriend was making bean burgers for dinner, and we all know nothing goes better with burgers than fries (except for maybe a cold beer, but the fries are totally necessary either way). Since he made a healthy version of burgers I didn't want to ruin that by throwing potato strips into hot oil and having that on the side. I recently was browsing Pinterest and saw a pin for zucchini chips - it triggered a bit of inspiration!

     Instead of the typical Italian seasoning of parmesan cheese and oregano, I wanted to do a slightly different flavor profile that is somewhat unexpected without straying too far from the familiar. The outcome was fantastic!

     We ate a ton of them and still had leftovers, so you can decide how much you'd like to make. It is totally doable as a small or large batch item. I cut my leftovers into pieces and threw them into a salad for lunch the next day. It was a nice change from your typical salad!

Zucchini Fries
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Servings: 4-6 people (as a side dish)

You Will Need:

• 2 small zucchinis
• 1/4 cup romano cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1/4 tsp salt
• olive oil 

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and brush with olive oil.
2. Cut zucchini into sticks, mimicking your average fry, skin on (no need to peel).
3. In a small bowl, combine romano cheese, breadcrumbs, dried dill, and salt and mix with your fingers to combine evenly.
4. In another small bowl, pour a small amount of olive oil (you can always pour more if needed, but you don't want to waste by pouring too much). 
5. Coat zucchini sticks in olive oil letting access drip off (I dipped my fingers then coated with my hands - you do NOT want to over-saturate your zucchini with oil) then coat with breadcrumb mixture, pressing to make coating stick.
6. Lay out zucchini sticks on the baking sheet in a single layer. Place in the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, turning over halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice!

What will you pair your zucchini fries with?