Crispy Healthy Baked Zucchini Fries

Katie – these look scrumptious! I love this idea! We typically roast our zucchini and squash – but this idea is genius! I think my kids will love these as well – very kid-friendly! Thanks for ANOTHER fabulous idea!
As far as calorie counting – I do it because I think it can be a really valuable way for people to stay on track. But I also monitor my carbs/fat/protein. It’s so easy to mindlessly nibble throughout the day, but when you have to record everything … it sometimes makes me think twice. I think it’s also important to remember not to ‘live’ by the number of calories you are allotted in any particular day – simply be mindful of what you eat. I’m definitely not going to deprive myself – anything in moderation! I should say that counting calories may not work for everyone – find what works for you!
Oh – and I’m totally a carb-girl, too!!

I’ve breaded a lot of different things in the past but somehow courgette is one I’ve not done yet! They always look amazing though, soo crispy! Definitely one to add to the list 🙂

I think this recipe idea is fantastic! I will be making these when i retun from my road trip for sure. As for counting calories, I have a huge problem with portion control. Counting calories helps me keep my portions in check on most things. If I didn’t keep track of the calories I would easily plow through every sweet thing I make.

1) Those look amazing! Must try 🙂
2) Calorie counting can work but really can’t be straight about the never. It has to be about nutritional bang for your buck. Much like your example – chose the banana 😉 I’ve used it to lose 90+ lbs and still use it from time to time just to keep on point. But it can also be dangerous as ppl can get wrapped up in the number not the nutrition. Always an interesting topic though 🙂

Oh yummy… I love zucchini, but I always forget to buy it! These look great.

As for calorie-counting, I used to think it was only for people obsessed with weight loss because the only people I knew who did it were on some crazy crash diet and restricting themselves too much (like 1200 calories/day). But I think there are healthy ways to go about it, and I actually started doing it for myself a while back, initially just to see exactly how much I was actually eating on a normal basis. I found it quite surprising to see just how easy it was to go under or WAY over based on food and drink choices throughout the day, and I also realized that I wasn’t getting nearly enough protein, even though I’m not a vegetarian. Now I use calorie tracking apps to help me make healthy choices, both in total calories per day and in selecting things that give me a good balance of protein, carbs, and fats. Although I don’t worry too much about the fats category as long as my saturated fat intake is low, because there are plenty of days when my unsaturated fat consumption makes it look high!

I think calorie counting can get in the way of enjoying your food. It may cause you to cut out the necessary nutrient, fat, because cutting fat will also cut calories. And as you said before, if you do count calories, you may end up choosing unhealthier options, such as rice cakes in place of nuts, just because they have less fat. I would rather just follow my personal food pyramid. For me that includes grains and starchy veggies, fruits, veggies, a fat source, a calcium source, and a complete protein source. I strive to get 20g of fat, 20 g of complete protein and 8 g of fiber at each meal.

Will try this recipe soon. So delicious.

There are so many different opinions on calorie counting out there! Everyone is entitled to their own. As for me, I’m not a fan of it. Calorie counting led to me becoming obsesse and scared of the numbers, and definitely lead to my eating disorder/anorexia because it made me afraid of calorie (and nutrient dense) foods such as avocados and nuts. Now, I am trying hard to break the habit. I feel like it’s prison! Each day I get better and feel more free. But for others, I can easily see how calorie counting can be a helpful weightloss and health tool. We all handle things differently.
But, I strongly believe nutrition is more important than the number it’s packed into.

Mmm…zucchini fries are so good! I’ve never tried them with the breading though. There was a time I believed in calorie counting, and I admit, I still do it sometimes. But, I’m not controlled by it anymore. And I’ve moved past it a lot.

Looks great!! Can’t wait to try them!
– Danielle
http://www.keenbeauty.com

Zuch fries are def on my list for things to try, and I bet they taste really well with chickpea flour! I agree, counting calories is not the best way to eat healthy.

I just have a quick question. It says to dip the zucchini in the flour then in the milk. Won’t the milk wash all the flour off? It seems like the milk is what would make everything stick to the zucchini. Sorry if that’s a silly question. Thanks for the recipe!

Oh i can eat the entire plate LOL…. you know, mine don’t ever come out as crispy, been thinking of frying them in coconut oil, what do you think?

What a great alternative to greasy fries! I don’t count calories either but I definitely understand those that do.

I loooooove this blog!!!

No, I don’t believe in calorie counting!

I will need to make these GF… and could use GF flour. However, I wonder how a GF cornmeal would work in place of the flour…???? Should I just stick with a GF flour?

Oh my goodness! I have been making roasted zucchini “fries”, but they were kinda mushy in the middle and plain. This recipe is SO going on my list of recipes to make! Great one yet again, Katie! Thanks! 😀

These look so incredible!!! And so simple too. Love this!

I used to agree with calorie counting. I did it for years, and then became obsessed with getting the numbers lower and lower. 1200 is the reccomended calorie intake for a 11 year old yet thats what people were telling me i needed to have to lose weight. i began eating 200 calories a day and ended up with hospital. i have been battling annorexia for 2 years. calories DO NOT REFLECT HEALTH in anyway.
if that were true, then a diet coke would be ‘better’ than smoothie with bananas and berries and almond milk and chia seeds .

calorie counting is ridiculous.

Hi Katie, how many of the zucchini chips is it for the 96g serve? They look so very tasty. Wondering how well some nutritional yeast flakes would go mixed with the breadcrumbs…

These look amazing, I love when I find alternatives to fries and chips like this that people don’t even people are guilt-free. I don’t believe in calorie counting, however, I have do watch carbohydrates and sometime count carbs because I have ulcerative colitis and blood sugar issues. I generally cannot do breadcrumbs and I was wondering whether something like almond meal or very finely shredded unsweetened coconut might work? I would love to be able to make it!

Your non-dessert recipes are really good. Can’t wait to see what’s next…. If you don’t mind a few ideas:
-gnocchi
-sushi
-teriyaki sauce
-grilled “cheese” sandwiches

What ever you make I’m sure it will be good!

Another delicious recipe. These are awesome!

These look amazing!

I’ve been nervous to try making baked fries without an egg wash for the same reason. But if it worked for you, it’s definitely worth trying! Do you think crushed cornflakes would work in place of the bread crumbs? (I have a box I’m trying to get rid of!)

Oh yes I believe in calorie counting but not if you’re only eating empty calories. I lost 15 lbs counting calories. It really made me more aware of how my choices affect me, for example I didn’t mind eating a whole thing of french fries by myself and a shake but then I came to realize that those are waaaaaaay too much calories for the little nutritional benefit that they offer. Now that I’m vegan and have done a pretty good job at maintaining my ideal weight, I don’t calorie count anymore but I always suggest it to those that want to lose weight or maintain it. I won’t feel bad about eating these zucchini fries though 🙂

I agree that counting calories does not equal health. i Used to be a slave to counting calories, now I focus on getting enough macro and micro nutrients like healthy fats good quality protein and lots of vitamins and minerals from fruits and veggies. Having said that if someone is starting a weight-loss regimen or wants to lose weight counting calories and keeping a food diary is absolutely critical. As someone else pointed out many people have no idea how many calories they are consuming or how small true portion sizes really are. using this to track your diet at the beginning can mean long-term weight loss success And a healthier lifestyle

Zucchini fries are equally delicious too 😉 Love these though, I know I’ll be overwhelmed with zucchini soon with my farm share!

These look awesome….cant wait to try them. Yes, I do count calories. Mostly just if a gain a few pounds , it helps me get back on track.

Hi Katie,
Just made these and really enjoyed the taste and how easy they were. I would add a little more flavor (italian seasoning, pepper, etc) in with the breading process next time.

So… I made these for my husband and I tonight and they were AAAAAMAZING. Wow. I’m full and I still want more. 🙂 They were perfect and crispy and delicious and wonderful in every possible way, so thank you!!! Thank you for posting this recipe, because it was delicious!!! Also, since I didn’t have enough cooling racks, I baked some fries on the racks and some without a rack (on a cookie baking sheet lined with foil and some non-stick spray), and they both came out perfect. So if anyone out there doesn’t have a cooling rack, things will still be great regardless! 😉 Thank you!!! <3

Bookmarking this recipe.

I only calculate calories for foods/ingredients that I either tend to overeat or that are high in fat/sugar. So, if I eat granola, trail mix, or nuts I look at the serving size and try to hold myself to two or three servings. If I use olive oil or liquid sweetener in a recipe or on a salad I keep track of that as well. If I bake something I choose something low-calorie enough that it will be okay if i eat it all within 24 hrs because there’s a good chance I will. Other than that I don’t bother with it because the rest of my diet is not particularly calorie-dense — greens, fruits, vegetables, quinoa. I think it’s better to make healthy food choices first. Being vegan and mostly raw has helped me to control my tendancy to overeat. I tried a calorie-counting app for two weeks. It was useful to see what my normal intake was, and how fast snacking/nibbling adds up. It was too annoying to continue indefinitely though. Kind of joyless.

OH BOY Katie… That doesn’t look like your hand in the picture… I wonder whose it could be (*wink wink*)

Not to be snide, but I didn’t realize there was a “best way to live.” I assume that would be the way you live? Counting calories does not mean avoiding such things as a banana smeared with peanut butter, as you mentioned above. It means counting the calories involved with eating a banana and peanut butter and adding them to the rest of the food you ate that day and STOPPING when you reach your max number of calories for the day, given your height, weight, and activity level. This country is obese. Until I began counting calories, I had no idea I was ingesting such a high number of calories every day. Now I know. It has been educational. And I also know that when I exceed my daily allotment, I can expect to (and do) gain weight. Calories in-calories out. That’s what determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain. It makes perfect sense. What doesn’t make perfect sense is the ridiculous idea that there is one “best way to live.” So you don’t count calories. Look at you. You obviously don’t need to. That, however, does not mean that others don’t need to, or that it is somehow a lesser way to live than your way. And the idea that you are admitting to only now “respecting” the practice is really a turnoff. I just found this blog and I wish I had not read that paragraph because I don’t think I would have realized how judgmental you are had I not. It might be time to open your mind to the idea that not everyone lives the same way and there is no one-size-fits-all “best” way to live. If that were the case, this life would be incredibly boring. So, I’m off now… to live the way I choose, eat the way I choose, and lose/maintain my weight the way I choose. I wish you well.

A favorite from my past: Olive Garden’s deep fried zucchini dipped in Ranch dressing. This may supplant that favorite, if it tastes as good as it looks!
Tonight, I’m going to try this with yellow crookneck squash (it’s what I have on hand).
re: counting calories- due to a health condition, my carb & calorie intake has to be pretty strict, but with the help of you and some other wonderful “foodie” blogs on the internet, it’s as easy as raw chocolate fudge cake to stay under the maximum on calories. It’s carbohydrates that I’ve been struggling with.

I grew up in a nonfat, diet home and counted calories always. As I’ve grown though I have made nutrition my life and unfortunately calories counting is typically not healthy. If its non fat, diet or low-fat it has been processed in one way or another and in doing so they’ve added artifical flavors, preservatives, sweeteners, etc. Food doesn’t come from the earth that way. I recommend all my calorie counting clients to cleanse their system then go on a raw, natural diet. Typically the preservatives and artifical sweeteners is what is causing the actual weight gain. This recipe is a great example of “real food”

These look great! I was wondering how much is in a serving?

How do you store these ones done, and about how long will they last? They look great, I’d like to be able to keep them around for the nights I can’t stop reaching into the cupboards, but didn’t know if they’d store well? Thanks 🙂

I just found your website. I can’t WAIT to do some more looking around!!!!

A great recipe. Just a note, however, milk is not used in vegan cooking. Can you offer an alternative? Thanks.

Dear Katie, i have recently signed up for your website and i love it…i am frustrated because i cant seem to print just the receipes out…it prints all the comments and causes it to be 17-18 pgs long….:( please help my decreased techno skills and help me get your receipes printed out…thank you and God bless you.. sincerely, nancysue

These sound great! I noticed you mentioned taking them to a bbq, I was wondering how you packed/stored them or if you baked them onsite? We go to the lake often and I would like to bring something savory as opposed to my usual sweet. Thanks for such a great blog!!

Obsessed with these zucchini fries!

These are soooo good! I’ll admit, I’ve eaten an entire tray myself >.< some bbq sauce and these babies make a fab meal. With some netflix for a slow, relaxed Sunday afternoon (cramming for some midterms? yeah, that's what I really thought!).

This is genius. Seriously, I've been zucchini obsessed over the past few weeks as it's one of the few veggies I can get on campus in large quantities. There's only so many more times I could alternate zucchini noodles with cauliflower rice before something needed to change!

I was 147 pounds (5 ft 1 inch) and then I started counting my calories, seriously counting them, weighing the food on a weight scale because the labels are not as accurate as they would lead us to believe, I always double check the true calories by searching on the Internet, and ounces aren’t as accurate as grams, either which is what I use, and yes it is a pain in the ass, it’s still a pain in the ass but I’ve gotten use to it and I never deny myself the foods I like, while dieting because then, it truly is no way to live, you have to eat what you like, I just made sure I wasn’t eating tons of it. And now I am now 115 pounds. Also once I reached my weight, I cheat every week-end, go out to restaurants, drink, have desserts and get my kicks then. But then I go right back to counting my calories on Monday (unless it’s a holiday) to maintain the weight because 2 – 3 days of decadent behavior will not put weight back on you, you have to do it consistently, over a longer period of time than just 2 – 3 days, which I do not, and I also get a good clean healthy report card from my doctor. There are some people that don’t need to count their calories, their food consumption is just right to maintain a healthy weight, others, however, cannot gauge the amount of food and need assistance through counting their calories.

So you dunk in the flour then in the milk? Doesn’t that take the flour off?

I need to crispy baked zucchini fries and have one suggestion. In addition to the milk batter add a teaspoon of arrowroot starch and a teaspoon of olive oil and mix it well. This makes it stickier and holds the breadcrumbs better

Perfection. I added loads of spices and finished with a minute under the broiler for an extra bit of crispiness. I will make these again.

Could you do this with sliced eggplant?