JACK IN THE BOX: ONION RINGS

SAVE: 275 CALORIES, 26 G FAT, 6 G SAT. FAT

M y friend Steve loves fried foods so much, he regularly jokes (or maybe he’s actually serious?) that there should be a restaurant in which all menu items are breaded. When I mentioned to him that I had created the Burger King Onion Rings for this book, he said, “Oh, those are good, but Jack in the Box’s are better. With Jack in the Box’s, you can take the onion out and just eat the breading.” Now that’s true dedication . . . to breading.

Olive oil spray

1 medium-large sweet onion (3½"–4" diameter)

1 egg white

1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk

1⁄3 cup dry bread crumbs

1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal

½ teaspoon salt

PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Lightly mist a large nonstick baking sheet with oil spray.

Cut a ½"-thick slice from the middle of the onion. Separate into rings. If there are fewer than 8 rings, cut a second ½"-thick slice. Separate the rings to collect 8 individual rings. Set aside. (Refrigerate the remaining onion for another recipe.)

In a small shallow bowl, combine the egg white and buttermilk. Beat with a fork until smooth. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the bread crumbs, cornmeal, and salt. Shake to mix well.

One at a time, dip the onion rings into the egg-white mixture, being sure to coat completely. Allow any excess egg-white mixture to drip off. Transfer to the breadcrumb bag. Shake gently to coat. Repeat dipping into the egg-white mixture and coating with the crumb mixture. Place on the reserved baking sheet. Continue until all of the rings are breaded and placed, not touching, on the baking sheet. Lightly mist with oil spray.

Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the rings. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the breading is crisp and the onions are tender.

MAKES 1 SERVING

225 calories, 11 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, trace sat. fat, 3 g fiber

Original Jack in the Box Onion Rings: 500 calories, 6 g protein, 51 g carbohydrates, 30 g fat, 6 g sat. fat, 3 g fiber