Zucchini Recipes

Green zucchiniZucchini is very low in calories, with only 17 calories per 100 g, and it has no saturated fats or cholesterol. Always eat it unpeeled because the peel has dietary fiber that helps reduce constipation and offers some protection against colon cancers.

Zucchini has antioxidant value, not as high as some darker colored veggies and berries, but significant, nonetheless. These antioxidants include carotenes, lutein and zea-xanthin. They help scavenge harmful free radicals from the body that cause aging and various diseases.

Zucchini is a good source of potassium, a heart-friendly mineral that helps reduce blood pressure and heart rates by countering pressure-effects of sodium. It also has vitamin C and moderate levels of B-complex group of vitamins, plus minerals like iron, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc.

Cheesy Zucchini Casserole

solo green zucchini4 slices bread, cubed
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups zucchini, cubed
1 large white onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 egg, beaten
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Place bread cubes in a medium bowl and pour melted butter over the bread. Add the zucchini, onion, garlic salt and egg; mix well. Transfer the mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish and top with the cheese. Bake, covered, in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Then uncover the dish and bake for another 30 minutes.

We thank DC1 on AllRecipes.com for this recipe.

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French-Style Ratatouille

basil in a basket

Imagine the scent of fresh basil.

1 large eggplant
1 medium yellow onion
2 small bell peppers
3 medium zucchini
2 large tomatoes
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
2 whole sprigs thyme
1/4 cup loosely packed basil, sliced into ribbons
Extra basil for garnishing
Salt and pepper

Chop eggplant into bite-sized cubes. Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl and toss with teaspoon salt. Let sit awhile.

Dice onions and roughly chop peppers, zucchinis, and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Mince garlic. Vegetables will be cooked in batches, so keep each in a separate bowl.

Warm a teaspoon olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and generous pinch salt. Sauté until onions have softened and are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add peppers and continue cooking until soft, another 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean bowl.

Add another teaspoon of oil to pot and sauté zucchini with generous pinch of salt until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add to onions and peppers.

Rinse eggplant under running water and squeeze cubes gently to remove as much moisture as possible. Warm two teaspoons oil in pan and sauté until softened and beginning to turn translucent, about 10 minutes. Add to other vegetables.

During cooking, a brown glaze will gradually build in the pan. Dissolve glaze between batches by pouring 1/4 cup water or red wine into pan and scraping up glaze. Pour deglazing liquid into veggie bowl.

Warm another teaspoon olive oil and sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. As tomato juices begin to bubble, scrape up brown glaze.

Add all vegetables back into pan and stir until evenly mixed. Bring to a simmer, then turn down to low. Stir occasionally for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 1/2 hours. Longer cooking time will break vegetables down into a silky stew.

Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs and stir in basil. Sprinkle extra basil and a glug of good olive oil over each bowl as you serve.

Ratatouille is often better the second day, and it can be eaten cold, room temperature, or warm.

We thank thekitchn.com for this recipe.

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Polenta Bowl with Garlicky Summer Squash & Kale

Stone-Ground Cornmeal1 cup Nash’s corn meal
3 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter or oil

In a 3-quart saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add salt and gradually stir in corn meal. Reduce heat, stirring continually until mixture is thick and smooth. Blend in butter or oil, stirring with a metal spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. Continue cooking for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

2-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium summer squash, cut into thin rounds
1 (14.5 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1 bunch Nash’s Red Kale, stems removed, torn into bite-sized pieces
Fried eggs for serving
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, for about 1 minute. Add the garlic, summer squash and chickpeas. Cook, occasionally stirring, until the summer squash and chickpeas are golden brown and the mixture is fragrant, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the veggies from the pan to a large bowl. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the remaining oil. Toss in the kale and cook, stirring often, until the kale is bright green and beginning to brown up a bit, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to low, add the squash and chickpea mixture back to the pan and keep on very low heat.

While the veggies cook, fry a few eggs in some olive oil until the whites are set and the yokes are still slightly runny.

Divide the cooked polenta between bowls. Top each bowl with with the veggie mixture, fried eggs, salt and pepper, pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and extra Parmesan cheese.

Recipe from dishingupthedirt.com.

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Marinated Zucchini and Yellow Squash Salad

Green Zucchini

Gadzukes! It’s time for zukes!

1/2 cup cider vinegar
4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
3 zucchini (about 1 ½ lbs.)
2 yellow squash (about 3/4 lb.)
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Combine vinegar, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until sugar dissolves. Trim ends of zucchini and squash; cut into thin ribbons with harp-shaped peeler. Add to vinegar mixture. Cover and chill 2 hours or overnight.

Bring a small pan of water to a boil; add garlic. Remove with a slotted spoon after 1 minute. Rinse under cold water; set aside. Add basil to boiling water; immediately remove and rinse under cold water. Reserve 1 tablespoon of cooking liquid. Transfer garlic and basil to a food processor, and add lemon juice, olive oil, reserved water, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Process until smooth.

Drain squash, and divide among 4 plates. Top with cubed mozzarella, and drizzle with basil oil.

We thank Health.com for this recipe.

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Kia’s Crock Pot Favas & Chicken

fava beans

Fava beans are fun and delicious!

Slow-cooked favas are tender and pair effortlessly with anything else you want to toss in the pot. Skip the meat and add extra veggies and lots of herbs for a vegetarian meal.

1-2 cups shucked fava beans
Approx. 2 pounds chicken thighs/drumsticks/breast, or other meat
2 cups fresh or canned salsa
4 cups chopped celery, onions, peppers, zukes, carrots, potatoes, etc.
Approx. two cups water
Salt and pepper
Fresh or dried oregano, thyme, basil, cilantro, rosemary, etc.

Put all ingredients in crock pot with salt/pepper/herbs as desired. Cover and cook on medium heat overnight or 6-8 hours. Add a fresh bunch of roughly chopped spinach/kale/chard the last 30 min of cooking, as desired. Serve hot over rice/quinoa/pasta/shredded cabbage etc.

Fava Tip: Approx 1 pound fresh favas = 1 cup shucked beans.

We thank Nash’s own Kia for this recipe.

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Skillet Huevos Rancheros

Eggs1/2 onion, diced
Olive oil
Bell pepper, kale, zucchini, mushrooms (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 cups cooked, rinsed beans (black beans, pinto, cannellini, or heirloom beans)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons water
4 x 6-inch tortillas
4 eggs (1 per serving — you can add more if you want)
Cracked pepper

Optional:
1/2 cup crumbled cotija, queso fresco, feta or goat cheese (optional)
1 large avocado, sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Hot sauce
Additional fresh diced tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large pan over medium heat, sauté onion in a little olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes (if you are adding optional veggies, do it now, cooking until tender). Add garlic and sauté for a minute or two. Add half of the diced tomatoes (saving half for garnish) as well as the beans, spices, salt and water. Let simmer on medium low for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

Brush large cast iron skillet with olive oil, coating the edges too. Lay tortillas down and brush tops of tortillas with oil.

Divide bean mixture, making little indentations with the back of a spoon for the eggs to rest in, so they stay in place. If using a large skillet, layer the tortillas so they come up the sides of the skillet a bit (you may need a couple extra), and spread all of the beans evenly over the tortillas, making indentations for the eggs.

Carefully break the eggs and place them in the indentations. Sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper and, if you want, crumbled cheese, and place in the hot oven.

Check after 10-12 minutes. Cook until egg whites are white and yolks are to your desired done-ness. Serve with avocado, lime, cilantro, hot sauce, and fresh tomatoes.

We thank Feastingathome.com for this recipe.

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Italian Sausage Soup

1 pound Italian-spiced pork sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups stewed tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
2 cups great Northern beans with cooking liquid
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 cups spinach, packed, rinsed and torn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.

Remove from heat and add spinach. Replace lid, allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.

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Margie’s Bran Muffins

1 cup Nash’s soft white wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups Nash’s wheat bran
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses or honey
2 large eggs
1 cup nonfat buttermilk (or half-&-half with 1 teaspoon lemon juice)
1 grated carrot, apple, or zucchini

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in bran with a whisk or long-tined fork.

Beat together brown sugar, molasses, egg and buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients to liquid ones and stir to moisten, about 30 seconds. Fill each cup in a 6-cup greased muffin tin to 3/4 full and place in oven. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool on rack.

We thank Nash’s own Margie for this recipe.

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Kia’s Chilled Veggie & Bean Salad

Kidney beansThis wonderful summer salad hits the spot for cookouts, as a topping for a fresh green salad, or as a high-protein snack on the go. It’s also versatile, so get creative about what types of veggies you use, depending what’s in your fridge or your weekly CSA box!

You can also mix up the types of beans you use in this dish. Any combination of black, kidney, garbanzo, Nash’s dried favas, or even lentils will work well.

This recipe was whipped up for one of Nash’s’ July Farm Lunches, as a topping for tacos. It makes about 3-4 quarts. Downsize the ingredient list accordingly, to make a smaller batch, as desired.

1 medium zucchini
1 medium-large cucumber
1 small-medium Wall Walla onion or red onion
1 green or red pepper
6-8 cups cooked beans (any kind!)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3 limes, juiced
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 cups fresh cilantro, finely minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or tamari soy sauce
(A cup or two of fresh cut corn and some diced tomatoes are also wonderful in this salad. I didn’t have any on hand at the time, but they would be a great addition!)

Shred or small diced the zucchini, cucumber, onion and pepper. Add the cooked beans to the fresh veggies and toss well.

Combine the vinegar, lime juice, garlic, olive oil, oregano, fresh cilantro, chili powder and liquid aminos or tamari with the veggies and beans, and mix everything up really well.

Eat immediately, or let dish rest for an hour or two, or even a full day if possible, for the marinade to work its magic!

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Vegetable Tempura

Bunch carrots, bagged carrots, green onions, red onions, gold beets, red beets at farmer's market

Raw veggies are absolutely lovely, but sometimes it’s fun to mix it up with tempura for a special occasion.

Serves four to six as an appetizer.

Dipping Sauce
2 scallions, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
2 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Batter
2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups cold water
1/4 cup dark sesame oil

Veggies
5 cups seasonal fresh veggies, such as broccoli, zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, etc.

For the dipping sauce, combine the scallions, soy sauce, water, vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, and mustard in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors blend.

For the batter, mix together the flour and baking powder. Add the cold water and sesame oil all at once and whisk until the consistency of pancake batter and very smooth. Refrigerate until ready to prepare the tempura.

Blot the vegetables dry, season with salt and pepper and dip into the batter. Coat them evenly.

Pour the oil into a tall pot to a depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat until around 350 degrees F. Work in batches to avoid crowding. Slip the batter-coated vegetables into the hot oil, deep-frying until the batter is a golden brown and puffy, 3-4 minutes. Turn the veggies so they cook evenly. Remove from the pot with tongs. Drain on an absorbent towel. Serve with dipping sauce.

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