Faux-Fried Onion Rings

I got my daughter a Rocco Dispirito cookbook last year for her birthday, and it is now her favorite cookbook.  He takes original recipes and works with them until he gets a perfect subsitute.  So I tried this one the other night and thought I would share.  My daughter changed a few things, and tried both ways and she liked her way better.  So I will just give you that way.  I used:
1 large Vidalia onion (enough for 2 or 3 people), cut into 1/2 inch thick slices.
2 cups milk
2 cups whole wheat flour (very cheap at the bulk barn)
2 cups panko bread crumbs (bulk barn)
S&P to taste
nonstick cooking spray

Method:
Separate the onions into individual rings, use only the larger ones for this recipe; reserve the smaller rings for another use.  You will get a good number of rings.  The original recipe calls for 4 onions.  Now set up your station of one bowl of milk, one of whole wheat flour, and one of panko crumbs.  Take each ring dip it in milk, make sure to coat both sides, take out of milk, dip in flour, back in milk, then in panko crumbs.  Set each one on a baking pan with tin foil on the bottom with a wire rack in pan, set the rings on the wire rack.  When finished lightly coat with nonstick spray.  My oven smoked for a minute, but I don't know why.  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Bake until panko is golden brown and crispy and the onions are tender, about 20 minutes.
The best part is the before calories were 1,837 with 124 grams of fat.  Doing it this way is 342 calories with 4.7 grams of fat! 
If you want the dip he makes with it you can mix 3/4 cup Hellmans low fat mayo with 1 tbsp liquid smoke and tabasco to taste.  Whisk together.  I didn't do this part.

I thought there was a picture in the book that I could have showed you, but there wasn't and I forgot to get a picture of them after they were finished.  My mistake.