Crunchy Baked Okra

My sister prepared these for Father’s day, and they were SO GOOD!! They taste like fried okra, just less greasy.
I like okra for many reasons.

I like the way it tastes, it is packed with vitamin A, B, C, and K, its antioxidant properties, fiber, folates, iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium, and more. It is also said that okra helps reduce cancer.
If you live in the South, you are probably familiar with this appetizer. The okra is usually dipped in buttermilk, deep fried, and then showered with salt. But, I made it healthy for the consumption of my family (not drenched in oil, no cholesterol, not covered in salt, etc).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup fat free buttermilk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 lb fresh okra pods, trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch slices

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Combine cornmeal, panko bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a shallow dish; set aside.

3. Combine buttermilk and egg in a large bowl; stir with a whisk

4. Add okra to buttermilk mixture; toss to coat. Let stand 3 minutes.

5. Dredge okra in cornmeal/crumb mixture.

6. Place okra in a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining salt over the okra.

7. Bake for 30-35 mintues, stirring once, until okra is golden brown and crispy