Fry With a Clear Conscience

If you think healthy eating means giving up the foods you love, grab a plate and taste what you've been missing. By Mary Allen Perry

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Dredging food in flour or cornstarch before dipping in a binder and crumb coating seals in moisture and adds extra crispness. Use all-purpose flour rather than whole wheat, which is heavier and absorbs moisture less readily.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders

MAKES 8 SERVINGS; PREP: 15 MIN., BAKE: 20 MIN.

16 saltine crackers, finely crushed

¼ cup pecans, ground

2 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1 egg white

Vegetable cooking spray

1 ½ lb. chicken tenders

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Stir together crushed crackers and next 4 ingredients.

2. Whisk egg white just until foamy.

3. Place a wire rack coated with cooking spray in a parchment paper-lined 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.

4. Dredge chicken tenders in flour; dip in egg white, and dredge in saltine mixture. Lightly coat chicken on each side with cooking spray; arrange chicken on wire rack.

5. Bake at 425° for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown, turning once after 12 minutes.

Per serving: Calories 152; Fat 4.3g (sat 0.3g. mono 1.6g. poly 0.7g); Protein 19.5g; Carb 8g; Fiber 0.8g; Chol 46mg; Iron 1.2mg; Sodium 494mg; Calc 9mg.

Healthy Benefits

* Catfish is one of the best sources of vitamin D, a vital nutrient that helps your body absorb and retain calcium, promoting bone health.

* Beef is a good source of nine essential nutrients. The leanest cuts, such as those used for cubed steak, average just 1 more gram of saturated fat per serving than a skinless chicken breast.

* Low-calorie, high-fiber potatoes offer vitamins C and B6 and potassium. Mashed potatoes are a favorite (especially with Chicken-fried Steak, page 116), but skip the butter, and stir in a few spoonfuls of fat-free cream cheese instead. The cheese adds richness and calcium and lowers the glycemic index of the potatoes.

Plump and juicy Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders are super easy to cook for a crowd and always a hit. A quick flip during the last few minutes of baking ensures all-around crispness. Don't turn them too soon, or the coating will stick to the rack.

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Choosing the right ingredient and technique for a recipe is important. A binder made with lightly beaten egg whites works magic with oven-fried foods. The light, coarse texture of Japanese breadcrumbs (panko) and crushed saltine crackers maximizes the crunch factor of coating mixtures. After dredging, firmly press any loose crumbs from the coating mixture onto the food.

Coconut Shrimp

MAKES 4 SERVINGS; PREP: 20 MIN., BAKE: 12 MIN.

1 ½ lb. unpeeled, large raw shrimp

Vegetable cooking spray

2 egg whites

¼ cup cornstarch

1 Tbsp. Caribbean jerk seasoning

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup Japanese breadcrumbs (panko)

1 tsp. paprika

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Peel shrimp, leaving tails on; devein, if desired.

2. Place a wire rack coated with cooking spray in a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.

3. Whisk egg whites just until foamy.

4. Stir together cornstarch and jerk seasoning in a shallow dish. Stir together coconut, Japanese breadcrumbs, and paprika in another shallow dish.

5. Dredge shrimp, 1 at a time, in cornstarch mixture; dip in egg whites, and dredge in coconut mixture, pressing gently with fingers. Lightly coat shrimp on each side with cooking spray; arrange shrimp on wire rack.

6. Bake at 425° for 10 to 12 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink, turning once after 8 minutes.

Per serving: Calories 363; Fat 8.9g (sat5.4g, mono 0.7g, poly 1.2g); Protein 39g; Carb 28.8g; Fiber 2.6g; Chol 259mg; Iron 4.5mg; Sodium 501mg; Cale 93mg.

Honey-Mustard Sauce

MAKES 10 SERVINGS; PREP: 5 MIN.

Pair this quick-to-fix dip with Coconut Shrimp or Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders.

½ cup plain nonfat yogurt

¼ cup coarse-grained mustard

¼ cup honey

2 Tbsp. horseradish

1. Stir together all ingredients. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 3 days.

Per serving: Calories 32; Fat 0g (sat 0g, mono 0g. poly 0g); Protein 0.6g; Carb 8.2g; Fiber 0.2g; Choi 0mg; Iron 0mg; Sodium 85mg; Calc 18mg.

Rémoulade Sauce

MAKES 10 SERVINGS; PREP: 5 MIN.

½ cup light mayonnaise

½ cup plain nonfat yogurt

3 green onions, minced

2 Tbsp. Creole mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

¼ tsp. ground red pepper

1. Stir together all ingredients until blended. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 3 days.

Per 2-Tbsp. serving: Calories 50; Fat 4g (sat 0.8g, mono 0g, poly 0g); Protein 0.7g; Carb 2.9g; Fiber 0.2g; Chol 4mg; Iron 0.2mg; Sodium 165mg; Calc 22mg.

Tartar Sauce: Omit mustard, garlic, and parsley. Prepare recipe as directed, stirring in ¼ cup sweet pickle relish and 2 tsp. lemon zest.

Per serving: Calories 55; Fat 4.04g (sat 0.8g, mono 0g, poly 0g); Protein 0.6g; Carb 4.3g; Fiber 0.2g; Chol 4mg; Iron 0.1mg; Sodium 153mg; Calc 19mg.

Oven-fried Coconut Shrimp tops our list of fabulous party foods. Paired with Honey-Mustard Sauce, it's too tempting to resist.

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Lightly coating the food rather than the skillet or baking pan with vegetable cooking spray allows the oil to evenly cover the surface for optimum browning.