Zucchini Fries

Happy Fall Everyone! This is my favorite time of the year. I love cool weather, sweaters, pumpkins and of course football season! Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables and I had it so many different ways. This recipe is crispy, tender and flavorful fries that taste just like fried zucchini, only so much healthier. This is a great side dish or a nice snack. 



Ingredients:
1 lb. zucchini squash
¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning blend
1 large egg
1 tbsp Water

Directions:
1) Rinse and dry the zucchini. Cut the ends off and then cut each one into strips, approximately ⅓ inch thick.
2) Place the zucchini strips on a large zip top bag and add the flour. Shake the bag to coat the zucchini in flour. 
3) In a wide, shallow bowl combine the panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine. 
4) In a second wide, shallow bowl, whisk a raw egg with about 1 Tbsp of water until fairly smooth.
5) Begin to preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil and then place two wire cooling racks over top.** One by one, take the flour coated zucchini strips and dip them in the egg and then the seasoned bread crumb mixture. Place the breaded zucchini on the wire cooling racks. 
6) Once all of the zucchini strips are breaded, bake them for approximately 15 minutes or until they are a medium golden brown color. Cooking time will vary with the thickness of your zucchini strips, so keep a close eye.



**The wire racks keep the zucchini up off of the baking sheet and allows hot air to circulate underneath, which will prevent soggy bottoms. Also make sure there is a small amount of space between each strip to allow circulation.**

Enjoy!