Dinner: Crab Cakes and Zucchini Fries

Tonight for dinner, we’re having Crab Cakes and Zucchini Fries.  My husband loves crab cakes.  I figured I’d make the meal a bit healthier by adding the zucchini fries.  My sneaky way of getting the kids to eat their veggies and like it!

Crab Cakes (4 servings)

1 lb. Sea Queen imitation crabmeat, chopped
1 1/2 c. Loven Fresh White Bread fresh soft breadcrumbs (six slices)
1/4 c. Fit and Active Light mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. parsley
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 c. Carlini olive oil

Combine all ingredients except the olive oil.  Form into cakes about 1/2 inch thick.  Add olive oil to skillet.  Add cakes and fry in batches over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes per side or until golden brown.

Zucchini Fries (4 servings)

1 c. Chef’s Cupboard unseasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. Spice Club freshly ground black pepper
1 c. Grandma’s Best all-purpose flour
2 Goldhen eggs, beaten
3 med. zucchini, cut lengthwise into 2 inch long and 1/4 inch thick pieces

Preheat oven to 350º.  In medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, salt and pepper.  Place the flour in another medium bowl and the beaten eggs in a smaller bowl.  Dip the zucchini sticks first in the flour until lightly coated, then in the beaten eggs.  Roll them in the bread crumb mixture until well covered.  Transfer the zucchini pieces to a non-stick baking sheet and bake until the zucchini is tender but the coating is crisp, about 20 minutes.  Let the fries cool slightly before eating.

Tip: Yellow summer squash (like the long crookneck and round pattypan varieties), golden zucchini, and common green zucchini are interchangeable, so choose whatever looks freshest. The ones that are shiny-skinned and taut, not rubbery, are your best bet.  Avoid round pattypan squash — the shape does not lend itself to fries.

The crab cake recipe is from the Aldi Meals site which you can find in the blog roll and the fries are from epicurious.com.  The fries came with a fancy-smancy dipping sauce, but we’ll just use ketchup.

While the kids and I like our crab cakes plain, years ago my husband came across a sauce that he absolutely loved from this little hole-in-the-wall pub.  I called and found the recipe couldn’t be easier.  A couple of tablespoons of chipolte peppers in abodo sauce and mayo.  I’m not sure if they have the chipolte peppers at Aldi, but even if they don’t, it’s worth picking up a can of this elsewhere to spice up your crab cakes.

For those of you watching your nutritional intake, these are for you:

Crab Cakes:  Per Serving: 388 Calories; 27g Fat (62.3% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 28mg Cholesterol; 1126mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 4 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Zucchini Fries:  Per Serving: 274 Calories; 4g Fat (13.7% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 94mg Cholesterol; 501mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.