Crispy Zucchini Sticks

Is anyone else beyond excited that the first day of spring is upon us? I feel like this has been a particularly awful winter.  After the holiday season ends, I just have no interest in winter.  I'm ready for some warmer weather, long days at the beach, and dinner on the grill. 

As such, it's time to start working on that beach bod.  Mike and I took our pre-wedding diet pretty seriously.  Post-wedding? We hit the comfort food. Hard.  I think we're both finally ready to commit to more exercise and less comfort food, but we're starting slow.

These Crispy Zucchini Sticks are a great alternative to fries and make the perfect accompaniment to all things grilled.  Before I made these, I tried Giada's Parmesan Eggplant Fries.  The eggplant version was delicious, but I found that the eggplant got a little mushy.  I switched up the recipe to zucchini, which maintains a bit more firmness and crunch.  I also used Italian bread crumbs rather than Panko with the zucchini version.  

Ingredients:
* 2 medium zucchini
* 1 c. Italian style breadrumbs
* 1/2 c. parmesan cheese
* 1 c. flour
* 2 eggs
* cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425.  Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and top with a wire rack; set aside.  Slice the zucchini into sticks.  Set up an assembly line with flour in one bowl,  2 eggs whisked with 1 tbsp. water in the second, and breadcrumbs and parmesan in the third.  Dredge the zucchini in flour, shake off excess, then into the eggs.  Let any extra egg drip from the zucchini, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture.  Place the zucchini on the wire rack cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining zucchini. Lightly spray the zucchini with cooking spray and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!