Oven-fried or roasted zucchini

Oven-fried zucchini and Adobo steak with cilantro sauce

As a side dish for my husband's steak dinner, I made oven-fried zucchini. My dad made these for me growing up, often along with steak, so this meal was definitely inspired by him.

These are really simple to make, more of a technique than a recipe:

Slice 1 lb zucchini 1/2 inch thick lengthwise into planks. This will make enough for two people. I often make twice as much even if it's just me and my husband because I love it so much.

Place zucchini in a food bag with about 2 T olive oil and 2 T balsamic vinegar, or enough to coat. Toss around until zucchini is evenly coated.

Then, in a separate food bag, add enough garlic and herb flavored breadcrumbs to coat the zucchini, about a cup. You can also "doctor up" the breadcrumbs with additional seasonings if you want to get fancy. I like to add Parmesan cheese, Adobo seasoning, and black pepper. Add the zucchini slices in batches, a few slices at a time, and shake to coat.

Lay coated zucchini slices onto a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. My dad likes to arrange sliced pickled jalapenos on top of each slice before baking, like spicy ants on a log. Spray some nonstick spray on top of the zucchini slices as well. This will keep them from drying out and help them brown. Bake at 450 for approximately 30 minutes, until zucchini is tender and golden brown.

Update: For a low carb version, I just roast the zucchini without the breadcrumbs. So, as above, cut the zucchini into planks and toss in a food bag with balsamic and olive oil, but this time, also add seasonings of your choice to the bag. I like Adobo seasoning, Italian seasoning, Garlic and Herb seasoning, and of course, salt and black pepper. As above, lay them out on baking sheet. If you want to take them over the top and add a bit of a crust, sprinkle with Parmesan (optional), then bake.