Zucchini Time!

 

It is that time of year again!  Zucchini are everywhere.  If you have a garden, you may be inundated with these beautiful green vegetables.  If you know a gardener, you may be the recipient of one or more of these beauties.  I can remember one summer when we were kids that our garden supplied us with more zucchini then we knew what to do with.  We literally had wagon loads! We gave a lot of them away but even so my mom had to make some very creative recipes to try and use up our supply before they went bad.  Zucchini soup, zucchini casserole, zucchini pizza … and the list goes on and on!  Needless to say, I am sure we were not the first family to be so sick of zucchini by September that we never wanted to see another one again…well at least until the next year.  There are a million ways to use a zucchini but the recipes below are made especially for that zucchini that was hiding underneath the leaves and is now the size of a small baby.  These are not the ones to use in a recipe that requires a tender vegetable.  These are better served peeled, de-seeded, grated and then baked into all kinds of fun recipes. I will often grate and measure the exact amount required for my favorite zucchini bread recipe, bag it and freeze it to use mid winter.  I am sure that everyone has their favorite zucchini recipe.  Here are just a few of mine.  Enjoy!

Paleo Friendly Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cup blanched almond flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup shredded, unpeeled zucchini

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray or grease 2 mini loaf pans or muffin tins.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Place the wet ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, then beat on medium for 1-2 minutes until frothy and fully combined. Add the zucchini and beat again just enough to incorporate.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients with the mixer running, until all of the flour mixture has been incorporated.
5. Spoon the batter into 2 mini loaf pans. You can also use this batter to make muffins.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the middle is set and a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup blanched almond flour
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoon melted coconut oil
• 1 cup shredded zucchini, moisture squeezed out
• Optional add-in: ¼ chopped walnuts, ¼ cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease two mini loaf pans or one large loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Stir in the nuts or chips if using.
3. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Whisk in the maple syrup and oil, then stir in the squeezed zucchini.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Transfer batter to the prepared pan(s). Bake for 28-30 minutes for the mini loaf or 35-40 for the large loaf.
6. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a rack to cool completely.

Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients:

• 4 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 whole eggs (preferably medium in size)
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 1-2 tablespoon coconut oil for frying

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, place the shredded zucchini and 1/2 tsp. sea salt. Stir gently and let set for 10 minutes to allow zucchini to sweat. After the 10 minutes, transfer the zucchini to a flour sack towel, cheesecloth or nut milk bag. Squeeze as much liquid out as possible so you don’t have soggy fritters.
2. While the zucchini is “sweating,” in another bowl combine the eggs, oregano, basil, additional sea salt, black pepper, almond and coconut flours.
3. Combine the squeezed shredded zucchini with the egg mixture and stir to combine. If the zucchini still holds a lot of moisture or eggs were on the larger side, you may need to add additional flour to achieve that pancake-like consistency.
4. Place a medium/large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add coconut oil to the skillet. When the skillet is very hot, drop 1/4 cup portions of the zucchini mixture onto the pan. Press down gently so they’re about 1/2-inch thick.
5. Cook on each side for 3-5 minutes. Flip carefully so they don’t fall apart. When done, transfer to a wire rack or plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat until zucchini mixture is gone, adding more coconut oil to the pan between each batch. Coconut oil spray will also work well between batches.
6. Serve with apple sauce or sour cream, or eat them plain. Enjoy!