Oven-Fried Zucchini

Last Saturday was the first of many Saturdays to be spent watching college football this fall.  In other words, it was the first of many Saturdays spent eating snack food.  To me, this means one of two things: 1) I could sit around and pick at some crudites; or 2) I could appropriate a portion of whatever my husband has picked up for himself.  While option #2 might lead to me acquiring blimp-like proportions by Christmas, option #1 gets boring after a while and just seems wrong.  Really, who watches sports while chomping on a carrot stick?  I might do so from time to time, but that doesn't make it feel any more natural.  So, what is a health-conscious person to do?

This is where oven-fried zucchini come into the picture.  They are nutritious, warm, and delicious.  They also take very little time to make.  The only problem is that my husband likes them as much as I do so I have to make enough for him too. 

Oven-Fried Zucchini
Serves: 4

4 Medium Zucchini
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 breadcrumbs
1/3 Pecorino Romano Cheese, Grated
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing or marinara sauce for dipping if desired

1. Preheat oven to 425 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, cheese, spices, and salt.
3. Cut the zucchini in half crosswise and then cut each portion in half lengthwise.  Cut each portion into three wedges (giving you 12 wedges per zucchini).
4. Dip each wedge into the egg, coat it with the breadcrumb mixture, and place it on the baking sheet.
5. Bake for approximately for 15 minutes.  Baking time will vary depending on the exact size of the zucchini wedges, but you will know they are done when the zucchini is soft through the center.  I check them by spearing the thickest piece on the baking sheet with a fork.

Calories: 112 per serving (not including the dipping sauce/dressing)

Zucchini Quiche

 

I don't have a zucchini "problem" as it were.  I live right outside the downtown area of a major city and neither I nor anyone I know around here grows their own zucchini.  However, growing up, my grandmother's garden always provided us with many more zucchini than we could actually eat.  Each morning, she would go out to her garden and return with a new zucchini or two; they would inevitably end up piled on the counter next to the sink, waiting to be consumed.
Naturally, we ate a lot of zucchini.  Zucchini bread, zucchini fritatta, zucchini muffins, and stuffed zucchini made regular appearances in our home.  And then there were zucchini blossoms.  Even though I cannot remember the last time I was home for zucchini season, I still remember the wonderful smell of my grandmother frying up those flour-dredged flowers.  They were such a rare treat and I looked forward to them each summer.

 

So you see, for me zucchini season is filled with nostalgia and childhood memories.  Perhaps it is for that reason that I love zucchini.  On the other hand, maybe I love it because it is delicious.  Either way, when I see it at the farmer's market in August, I can't stop myself from buying it each week.  The result?  Much like those who grow their own, I find myself eating a bowl of zucchini salad or a slice of zucchini bread and wondering what I should do with the zucchini still sitting on my counter.   And you know what?  I'm quite okay with it.

Last week I decided to do something new and exciting.  I made zucchini quiche and I have to say that it was delicious.  There are fewer eggs in this recipe than in most quiche recipes and it doesn't call for any cream or milk, so expect the vegetables and cheese to be front and center.  I was a little skeptical when I first read the recipe, but my skepticism was for naught.   Together with a leafy green salad, this quiche made an excellent dinner and I was even able to stick a few leftover pieces into the freezer for later. 

 

 

Zucchini Quiche

Slightly adapted from tasteofhome.com

Yield: 6-8 slices

 

4 cups of zucchini, thinly sliced (I used 2 cups of green zucchini and 2 cups of yellow zucchini)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard
2 cups mild cheddar cheese, grated
1 pie crust (This is the recipe I use)

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roll out pie dough into a 9" deep dish pie pan and set aside (for a flaky crust, it is best to keep it cold and keep it in the fridge.
3. Saute the vegetables in oil until cooked and then drain well to keep the quiche from being soggy. 
4. In a large bowl, beat eggs.  Whisk in herbs, salt, and mustard.
5. Stir in vegetables and cheese.
6. Empty egg and vegetable mixture into the pie crust.
7. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes.  At the 25 minute mark, cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil to prevent the crust from browning too much.

Calories:  331 per slice (if you cut it into 8 slices)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

It is officially zucchini season--one of my favorite times of year.  There is just so much that can be done with zucchini.  It goes well with eggs, it is delicious when stuffed with cheese, and it is heavenly when battered and fried (alas, it is one of those very few foods that makes me wish my kitchen was equipped for deep-fat frying).  However, you can only eat so much of any one food and when you are done enjoying zucchini for the tasty vegetable that it is, but you still have some lingering on your counter, you can always make zucchini bread.

Yes, yes, I know.  Everyone makes zucchini bread.  Well, of course they do; it is delicious.  But this bread isn't so much a bread as it is a chocolate cake.  A rich, moist, fluffy, irresistible chocolate cake.  Now, how can you argue with that?  I know I can't.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Adapted from food.com
Yield: 1 9x5 loaf (12 slices)

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup natural cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
2/3 cup canola oil
1 cup + 1tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour your loaf pan.
2. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs.  Beat in oil, sugar, and vanilla.
4. Stir in zucchini.
5. Gradually add dry ingredients and stir until just mixed; be careful not to overwork the batter.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Pour the batter into your loaf pan.
8. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean (approximately one hour).

Calories: 301 per slice

Quinoa Salad with Summer Squash

Did anyone know that zucchini was good raw?  I have always been a huge fan of zucchini, yet I had never thought to try eating it raw; I simply assumed it should be cooked.   As it turns out, I was wrong. 

This salad has made a convert of me.   I found this recipe while flipping through this month's issue of Bon Appetit and I assumed that the zucchini was supposed to be roasted.  If I had seen that it called for raw zucchini, I probably would not have tried it in the first place and that would have been a great shame.

This salad is an excellent way to use up all of the extra zucchini around in August.  Not only does it require only minimal cooking, but it also tastes lovely.  The olive oil and lemon dressing complement the fresh herbs perfectly and the chickpeas and quinoa make this salad filling enough to be a vegetarian main course.   I am very happy to add it to my arsenal of cold summer salads.


Quinoa Salad with Summer Squash
Adapted from Bon Appetit, August 2012
Yield: 5 entree-sized servings

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve, drained
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more or seasoning
1 lb assorted summer squash (I used zucchini and yellow zucchini instead of crook neck squash)
1 14 oz can of chickpeas (i.e.garbanzo beans)
3 tbsp finely grated Parmesan plus more for garnishing
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp sugar
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4  cup fresh basil leaves, torn
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

1. Toast walnuts:  Preheat oven too 350 degrees.  Place walnuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven or 5-6 minutes or until they are slightly fragrant.  Be careful not to let them burn.
2. Cook Quinoa:  Soak quinoa in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes.  Then turn on the heat and bring it to a boil.  Lower the heat, cover pot, and let it simmer until all of the water is absorbed (approximately 20-25 minutes).
3. Quarter the squash lengthwise and slice each quarter, making your slices a quarter-inch thick.  Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with 2 tsp. salt and toss to coat.  Let sit for about 15 minutes.  Rinse under cold water, drain, and pat dry with paper towel. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk grated Parmesan, zest, juice, vinegar, sugar, and oil together.  Season with salt and pepper.
5. Combine squash, chickpeas, quinoa, parsley, and basil in a large bowl.  Toss with dressing. 
6. Garnish each individual serving with walnuts* and extra Parmesan cheese.

* The recipe called for the walnuts to be mixed into the salad; however, I like to sprinkle them on top so that they remain crunchy since the crunch of the nuts is a nice contrast to the softer grain.

Calories: 403 per serving