Toddler Tuesday: Baked Parmesan Zucchini Coins

  Meghan likes most of her vegetables served plain, just lightly steamed.  She will eat just about all the vegetables I have offered her, but there are a few she refuses again and again.  One of her seemingly least-favorite vegetables is zucchini.  I've put some on her plate time and again as it's a vegetable I use often, but she never gets it from her fingers to her mouth.  I think it's the slimy look of zucchini (and no, I don't overcook it!).  I decided to try it a different way and see if she would give it a go.  It worked!  I just changed the look of it by baking it with some cheese/bread coating and she didn't even look twice at it--picked it right up and ate it.  And the real key: after her first bite she took another.  Next time I may add some spices (probably Italian spices) to liven it up a bit for Tim and me, but these are still good without them.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Coins


1 medium zucchini, sliced thinly
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup whole grain bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup flour (I used whole wheat)

Serves two adults and one child.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a baking sheet.

Get three small bowls and set up your station:  In one bowl, beat your egg.  In another bowl, add the flour. In the third bowl, mix the bread crumbs and cheese.

First, dip a coin in the egg and turn it to coat it on all sides.  Then, coat it with flour.  Follow this by another dip in the egg bowl, and finish with a coating of the bread/cheese mixture.  Place on the tray and continue until you have all your coins coated.  It's helpful to have a paper towel nearby as your hands will get sticky.

Bake for 20 minutes and allow to cool before serving.

The cheese and bread made a nice, crisp coating, but not too crisp that it was difficult for Meghan to eat.  These were really good plain, but think they would be great with a tomato dipping sauce.  For Meghan, I cut the coin into quarters so they would be in bite-sized pieces for her.  The adults ate them whole.     

If you make these with some added spices, let me know how they turn out!  I'm happy to have another vegetable option for Meghan in my repertoire.