Bistro breaded vegetables

1
Points® value
Total Time
42 min
Prep
12 min
Cook
30 min
Serves
12
Difficulty
Easy
Who says breaded veggies have to be deep-fried to taste good? This baked version is so delicious you’ll never miss the oil, and certainly not the fat. The key to getting the crisp exterior here is giving the breadcrumbs something to cling to. The milk-mayo-egg white mixture serves as a protein-rich creamy binder (one barely a trace of fat) that is like a savory glue for the crunchy, seasoned coating. If serving these as an appetizer, set out a bowl of our Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip.

Ingredients

Fat free skim milk

½ cup(s)

Reduced calorie mayonnaise

2 Tbsp

Egg whites

1 large, lightly beaten

Cauliflower

2 cup(s), chopped, florets (about 12 pieces)

Cremini mushroom

12 medium, stems removed

Uncooked zucchini

1 medium, cut into 12 (1⁄2-inch-thick) slices

Dried plain breadcrumbs

½ cup(s)

Grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup(s)

Paprika

1 tsp

Dried tarragon

½ tsp

Table salt

¼ tsp

Black pepper

¼ tsp, freshly ground

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray.
  2. Combine the milk, mayonnaise, and egg white in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower, mushrooms, and zucchini; toss to coat.
  3. Place the bread crumbs, cheese, paprika, tarragon, salt, and pepper in a zip-close plastic bag. Add the cauliflower, mushrooms, and zucchini, in batches, shaking the bag to coat all sides. Arrange the vegetables in one layer on the baking sheet. Spray the top of the vegetables lightly with nonstick spray. Bake, turning once halfway through cooking time, until the vegetables are tender and golden, about 30 minutes. Serve at once. Yields 3 pieces per serving.

Notes

If you’d like to use fresh broccoli florets instead of the cauliflower florets, cook them in boiling water until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain the broccoli and pat dry then proceed with steps 2 and 3.