A new take on eggplant parm!  I love eggplant.. it’s one of my favorite vegetables!  And I’m a sucker for eggplant parmesan.  So I decided to make eggplant parmesan fries.  They are coated with a crispy panko breadcrumb & parmesan cheese layer, then dipped in warm tomato sauce – YES.

RECIPE: (serves 4-6)

• 2 large eggplant, sliced into “fries” – about 3 inches long, 1 inch thick
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning OR garlic and herb seasoning
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• tomato sauce (for dipping)- store bought, whatever kind you like!  I used Raos Homemade (THE BEST!!!)
• fresh parsley, chopped – for garnish
• non-stick spray

INSTRUCTIONS:

• place ingredients in 3 separate bowls:
  • bowl 1: eggs (beaten)
  • bowl 2: whole wheat flour
  • bowl 3: panko bread crumbs, whole wheat bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, and black pepper
• preheat oven to 400 degrees
• spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray (you may need two, or bake in batches)
• in batches (about 8 at a time), add eggplant fries to flour mixture to coat, transfer to egg mixture, then coat in bread crumb mixture
• place fries on greased baking sheet – do not over crowd – like stated above, bake in batches or use more than one baking sheet
• spray lightly with non-stick spray to make sure they brown in the oven
• bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned and crispy
• serve with warm tomato sauce!