Brown Bread and French Fry substitute

I really love the idea of healthier substitutes for unhealthy foods. Giada came up with this great substitute for french fries and it is delicious! I served it over spinach (as suggested) and didn't even use the dressing! I also made some incredible brown bread. I substituted honey for the molasses, and walnuts for the raisins and dates. On the side (in the picture) you can see my sesame chicken (recipe in earlier post). It was a fantastic dinner! Tonight was great- Jill taught all of Body Step while I demonstrated the low impact version. The class is really taking off and definitely makes you sweat! If you have Body Step at a gym near you, you should give it a try!

Parmesan, Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

2 1/2 cups bite-sized broccoli florets
2 1/2 cups bite-sized cauliflower florets
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 to 1 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups lightly packed fresh spinach leaves
1/2 lemon, zested
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the broccoli and cauliflower in a large bowl. Toss with the beaten eggs to coat evenly. Place the Parmesan in a large tray or baking dish and dredge the vegetables in the cheese, pressing to coat evenly.

Pour olive oil in a large heavy skillet until the olive oil is 1/4-inch deep, about 1/2 cup depending on the size of your skillet. Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add the Parmesan-coated vegetables. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches, if necessary. Let the vegetables cook until a crust forms, about 3 minutes per side. Turn the vegetables only when they easily release from the bottom of the pan. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

Place the spinach in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the spinach with the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan coated vegetables. Toss and serve.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_34629,00.html

Brown Bread (recipe from http://www.cookingbread.com/recipes/high_fiber_bread/brown_bread_recipe.html)

• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup honey or molasses
• 1 1/2 cup white flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup walnuts (or raisins and dates)
  
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vinegar, add to milk

In a bowl beat together the egg, molasses together. Add in the dry ingredients along with the milk, then add raisins and dates. Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees.