Baked Zucchini Sticks

I have a deep love for football season  and the reason is game time snacks. Loaded nachos, wings, dip, stuffed mushrooms... anything I can eat with my hands is fine by me! The downside to game snacks is that they are usually high-cal and delicious, which means that I'll eat about a week's worth of calories during one quarter. Yikes! So, over the past year I've fiddled with my favorite snacks to cut down the guilt without sacrificing flavor, and these zucchini sticks are a favorite (even my BF loves these, and he's a die hard fan of all things not healthy!).

Ingredients:

• 3 large zucchini
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups panko
• Desired seasonings - salt/pepper/cumin/garlic powder/cayenne/thyme/paprika

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line two baking sheets with foil and set aside. 
2. Slice the zucchini into 3 x 1/2" sticks and set aside. Mix the panko and the seasonings in a medium bowl, then pour the oil into a bowl for dipping. Set up an assembly line to keep things easy and clean! 
3. Dip one stick at a time first in the oil to coat, then into the panko. Make sure the panko is coating all sides of the stick, then place the stick on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining sticks. Bake in the top third of the oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping the sticks once halfway through. An easy rule to remember is the sticks are done when the panko is golden!
4. Use a spatula to transfer the zucchini sticks to a paper towel-lined plate, then let sit for a minute or two before serving. 

Enjoy!

Psssst! This recipe doesn't contain eggs, so it's a great recipe for when you have vegan/vegetarian guests!

Suggested dips for the sticks:

• marinara sauce
• ranch dressing
• tzaziki
• Thai peanut sauce
• salsa
• mustard