By Judi Lenihan
Zucchini and Herb Frittata
This elegant frittata is a delicious way to use up fresh zucchini and is perfect for a light lunch or brunch. The combination of sweet shallots, aromatic garlic, and fresh herbs makes every bite flavorful.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20-25 minutes Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 2 medium zucchini, cubed and sautéed
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped herbs (such as chives, parsley, or basil)
- 1 large shallot, chopped and sautéed
- 1 garlic clove, crushed and sautéed
- ¼ cup loosely packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter for the pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until they are light and frothy. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the sautéed zucchini, shallot, and garlic to the bowl with the eggs. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, and shredded Parmesan. Mix everything until well combined.
- Heat a 10-inch oven-safe skillet (like a cast-iron pan) over medium heat. Add the olive oil or butter.
- Pour the egg mixture into the hot skillet. Cook on the stovetop for about 5 minutes, or until the edges start to set.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the frittata is puffed up and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Zucchini Ribbon “Lasagna” with Angel Hair Pasta
This dish offers all the satisfying flavors of a classic baked pasta, but with a lighter, fresher feel. Thin ribbons of zucchini are roasted until tender, then topped with spicy arrabbiata sauce and melted, crispy cheese for a perfect weeknight meal.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25-30 minutes Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini
- 1 (15-ounce) jar of arrabbiata sauce
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese
- Garlic salt, to taste
- 8 ounces angel hair pasta
- Olive oil for brushing (optional)
Instructions
- Prep zucchini: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a mandoline slicer, carefully slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin, lasagna-like ribbons.
- Roast zucchini: Arrange the zucchini ribbons in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. You can lightly brush them with olive oil if you like. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for about 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is barely cooked and tender.
- Season & sauce: Remove the zucchini from the oven. Flip the ribbons over and lightly sprinkle them with garlic salt. Pour the arrabbiata sauce evenly over the zucchini, then generously top with the shredded cheese.
- Broil: Place the baking sheet back in the oven and switch the setting to broil. Broil for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and has turned crispy and golden brown. Watch it carefully to prevent burning.
- Cook pasta: While the zucchini is broiling, cook the angel hair pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and toss with the remainder of the arrabbiata sauce.
- Serve: Divide the pasta among plates, then top with a generous portion of the baked zucchini ribbons. Serve immediately.
Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
These savory zucchini crisps are a perfect, low-carb alternative to crackers or chips. The high heat of the oven and the salty Parmesan cheese create a delightful crunch that’s hard to resist. They’re a fantastic appetizer or snack.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10-15 minutes Servings: varies (depends on the size of your zucchini)
Ingredients
- 2-3 medium zucchini
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic herb salt, to taste
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a mandoline slicer, carefully slice the zucchini into very thin rounds (about ⅛-inch thick).
- Lay the zucchini rounds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. It’s important that they don’t overlap, so the cheese can crisp up properly.
- Lightly brush the top of each zucchini round with a little bit of olive oil.
- Sprinkle a small amount of garlic herb salt over the zucchini.
- Liberally top each round with grated Parmesan cheese, making sure to cover the entire surface.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, golden brown, and crispy. Keep a close eye on them, as they can burn quickly.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. The crisps will continue to harden as they cool.
- Serve immediately.
Note: For extra crispy results, you can pat the zucchini slices dry with a paper towel before brushing with oil to remove excess moisture.
Visit vashonloop.com online to see one more recipe, “Sweet and Savory Zucchini Bread.” This isn’t your average zucchini bread. The blend of sugars, warm spices, and rich dates give it a deep, comforting sweetness, while the subtle earthiness of the zucchini keeps it from being cloying.
Sweet and Savory Zucchini Bread
This isn’t your average zucchini bread. The blend of sugars, warm spices, and rich dates give it a deep, comforting sweetness, while the subtle earthiness of the zucchini keeps it from being cloying. The unique combination of textures from the blended and shredded zucchini makes for a moist, tender crumb with a hint of bite.
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 60-70 minutes
Ingredients
- 1½ cups blenderized, cooked zucchini
- ½ cup shredded raw zucchini
- 1 cup melted coconut oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tbsp demerara sugar, for topping
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup plus 2 tbsp sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (adjust as needed if zucchini is very moist)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup firmly packed chopped pitted dates
Instructions
- Preheat & prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the blended cooked zucchini, shredded raw zucchini, melted coconut oil, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar until well combined.
- Add eggs & dairy: Whisk in the room temperature eggs and egg yolks one at a time, followed by the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground cloves, cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg.
- Combine wet & dry: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula just until the flour is incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in dates: Gently fold in the chopped pitted dates.
- Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top evenly with the demerara sugar. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before carefully removing it to cool completely on the rack. Slicing it while it’s still warm may cause it to fall apart.
