If you have a vegetable garden, you’ll know that with the peak of summer comes more courgettes than most people know what to do with.

You can stir-fry them, bake them, make fritters, eat them raw in salads, and they also make delicious ‘fries’ that are much lighter and healthier than your regular deep-fried potato version. What a great way to eat your green vegetables.

PARMESAN COURGETTE FRIES

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

1⁄2 cup ground almonds or fine instant polenta 1⁄2 cup finely grated parmesan (use a microplane or the fine side of the grater) 11⁄2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme, oregano or rosemary 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (use herb salt if you have some) 3 medium courgettes (it helps if you pick out straight – not curved – courgettes) 1 egg, lightly beaten AIOLI 2-3 tablespoons good-quality mayonnaise 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened thick Greek yoghurt 1⁄2 small clove garlic, very finely minced Finely grated zest of 1⁄2 lemon 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1⁄4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Mix ground almonds or polenta, parmesan, herbs and salt in a bowl. Place egg in a separate bowl. Trim the top and bottom off the courgettes, then cut each courgette in half, and then in half again lengthways, then into 1cm-thick fingers, just like chips. Dip each courgette finger in beaten egg and then in crumb mixture, making sure they are well coated. To avoid a sticky mess, use one hand for the egg bowl and one hand for the crumb mixture bowl. Arrange fries on prepared baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden and crispy. Mix all aioli ingredients together and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve courgette fries hot, straight from the oven with aioli.

Nadia Lim is an author, chef and dietitian for My Food Bag. Nadialim.com