I wanted to comment, but I didn’t see a place to do so; keep cooking

I found you from the foodie blogroll- Hi!! *Wave*

-seamaiden from http://www.bookofyum.com

Sara, you’re very right (as always); actually the breadcrumbs I use are either ground in front of me at the store or by P (we just wait till the bread gets hard and then he gets to work on a regular old cheese grater). Of course we also grate our own cheese, and I don’t even buy whole milk, so you know we’re skimming around here I usually use sunflower or olive oil, and, oh, the eggs are from our own chickens.

You know, you’re making me feel like I should eat more of these; have I told you that I really, really like you?

Seriously, thank you so much for going through this and showing us that really, it’s all about preparation and portion control–this is something that often gets lost in the shuffle of “dieting” because people get so focused on what they can and can’t have. Really if you take some time and pay attention to preparation and then eat in moderation, you can have just about anything you want and still eat healthy.

Brava for pointing that out

Now I’m going to say something controversial: I don’t think these are inherently either good or bad for you. It’s all in how you do it, and that’s mostly about ingredients but also a little about technique. It’s also about balance and portion control, both of which you mention.

One of the ways of the crackpot to which I alluded in the recent discussion about weight loss is fat phobia. Another one is carb phobia. The fact is, we need both to keep our engines running, carbs for quick-release energy, fat to lubricate the works, a good balance of both (with protein for slow-release energy) to maintain heart health, strength, metabolism, and the immune system. What matters most besides eating balanced meals and reasonable portion sizes generally is the kind of fat and carb you include.

I can tell you how to make these into junk food; it’s quite easy. Use store-bought breadcrumbs made of high-glycemic-load refined flours and other additives and which contain superfluous salt, sugar, and saturated fat. (The pre-seasoned ones tend to be especially harmful.) Fry them in a non-nutritious oil, and don’t drain and pat them down before serving. Use whole milk AND a parmesan from a can or a fattier cheese than parmeggiano you grated yourself.

Now I’m going to tell you how to make them really quite nutritious. First, look at your breadcrumbs. If you don’t have breadcrumbs lying around, or if you don’t save them like our grandmothers did (the ones who cooked in the old country or during the Depression, that is), find a bread in your kitchen which is made of whole or sprouted grains and has no added sugar and minimal other ingredients. Then use my friend D’s ultimate breadcrumb trick: toast a couple of slices of this lovely bread, then throw the toast in the blender and grind it up until it’s crumb consistency.

Now look at your oil. Go for something known to be healthful, e.g., olive oil (use extra virgin for the most olivey flavor), canola (which is almost flavorless), or even flax seed oil, which is very high in omegas and thus is a fat which is particularly nutritious.

Next, use lowfat or skim milk. Use sea salt because it has more vitamins and minerals in it, and also tastes better.

Now you have a food which is not only not inherently harmful but actually a little bit good for you — especially when when you keep the squash slices nice and thick, but also when you’re talking about one zucchini prepared this way and then split among two or more people and served with other things. (Yes, just like you said.) You know, it won’t take the place of a salad, but it’s a perfectly acceptable appetizer or side dish.

One further way to add nutritional value is to serve these with a fresh dipping sauce made entirely of puréed or finely chopped raw tomato and minced raw herbs, maybe a little pepper — no added salt or sugar, because all you need is already in the tomatoes and in the batter. If you serve it with a fatty, creamy dipping sauce, like a bottled ranch or bleu cheese dressing, you’re back to junk food. Fresh tomato salsa, though, or something like that — maybe a small amount of roasted winter squash purée or mash? — adds value by giving you extra vitamin A, and another flavor and texture, but no real caloric impact.

You see what I mean? Most recipes are like this. The act of battering and frying something, even while adding a tiny amount of cheese, is not in and of itself what makes something junk food. It’s all about the ingredients, the technique, and the presentation — but mostly the ingredients.

Pardon my pedantry. I mean to be helpful, of course. You know, in light of our previous conversation.

And thanks for a lovely, simple recipe.

Bella, when I typed this up, I was actually envisioning a lovely ranch dip/dressing (although it’s probably better that we don’t have that here!). Great minds