I am trying to up my veggie intake...I'm not that much of a veggie gal so it's hard. But I DO like zucchini! Tonight I sauteed it in the skillet w/ a dash of olive oil and some diced tomatos...seasoned just w/ a dash of salt and pepper and it was very good!
I love zucchini !! I even eat it raw with a dip, it's good in italian tomato recipes too...You can make a zucchini lazagna by layering it with the noodles and the sauce...
Zucchini has such a mild flavor that it works well in other foods. You can dice it small and mix it in with salsa (preferable a fresh, homemade recipe) and it will absorb the flavors. Serve it over grilled fish, or in a Mexican salad.
I like to make it similar to you but add diced onion and at the end I sometimes put a little low fat cheese on top if I have the calories left, or if I am a little short on my protein!!
I don't like summer squash (zukes, crooknecks, pattypan, etc), but DH and DS love it. This is how I usually cook zukes (or other summer squash):
4-8 little zucchini (3-5" long), sliced into thick slices (about 1/2-3/4")
olive oil
1/2 tsp granulated garlic or 1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
In a small skillet, heat about 1/4" water to boiling over high heat. Add sliced zucchini and steam, covered, until crisp-tender (about 4-5 minutes). Drain. Add enough olive oil to pan to just cover bottom. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and saute over medium-high heat until golden and tender. Serve right away.
Serves 2 generously.
I often use a combination of butter and olive oil, but just olive oil tastes fine and is better for Phase 1. Hope you enjoy!
Zucchini is delicious grilled on the bbq (or a George Foreman). I just put a little pepper on it. It has almost a nutty taste. Some people hollow out the middle and stuff it before grilling. It's also good lightly steamed. I used to dislike it until I tried it grilled, now I like it cooked any way.
Cut your zukes on the diagonal, fairly thick, about 3/8", lay flat on a cookie sheet and spray with a little olive oil, then season with some fresh cracked pepper and some sea salt. Let it sit for a minute or two, then turn over and sprayjust a wee bit more olive oil on it.
Grill til it's as done as you like ( I prefer al dente) and serve with ranch dressing as a dip. YUM-O!! as Rachel Ray would say!
There is a Summer Squash casserole posted in the recipe forum that is wonderful. I usually mix zucchini with yellow summer squash when I make it.
I also like to stir fry zucchini (chopped large) with mushrooms and onions. Sometimes I add Rotel (tomatoes with chilis) and I like to add Italian seasoning (or basil, oregano, marjaram etc).
Sometimes I cut them up smaller and then cook them to where they are almost done and then add Eggbeaters and have them for breakfast. In phase 2 you can roll it up in a WW tortilla.
I'm in love with the Zucchini Patties I posted in the Phase 2 Side Dishes. I think I originally got the recipe off www.allrecipes.com and modified it to SBD. I make sure that I spread them really thin in the pan so they get really crispy. I serve them with sour cream. Zucchini is also great on skewers with meat and other veggies or in a tomato sauce with onions and garlic. Yum!
AllRecipes.com has a ton of zucchini recipes right now, but I went through them yesterday and I can say that about 90-95% are not SBD friendly or would be difficult to make SBD friendly. I did pull a ton that would be okay and I'd be glad to e-mail them to you if you PM me with your e-mail. Don't post it in the thread or it could be picked up by spambots, okay?
1) Saute with a bit of olive oil, italian seasoning with onions. You could add other veggies as well.
2) Roasted. Bake on 450 for about 30 minutes. I toss with a bit of olive oil, italian seasoning and add mushrooms, onion, green bell pepper and okra. You could put any veggies you wanted in.
OK, if I am absolutely craving potato chips, I cut up a zucchini into thin round pieces (not paper thin but not thicker than 1/4 inch) and use a serving or two of olive oil and "fry" them.
I wait until they get brown and semi-crispy (they have too much water in them so they won't get totally potato-chippy) then drain on a paper towel and add salt and pepper and eat as a snack.
How do you cook zucchini?
