WHOLE30 ZUCCHINI FRITTATA

~ Frugal Farm Wife

1 T. oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 lb. bulk sausage
6 eggs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t. salt
pepper, to taste
1 1/2 c. shredded zucchini

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease 8-inch square pan. Heat oil and onion in a skillet, cooking until onion is translucent. Add sausage; brown and crumble.

While sausage and onion cook, beat eggs in a mixing bowl. Whisk in garlic, salt, and pepper. Drain sausage, then combine with egg mixture and zucchini. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until eggs are set in the middle. Remove from oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: I prefer to add the garlic to the pan with the sausage instead of whisking it into the eggs, but do what works best for you. You can experiment with different types of sausage, depending on what you have on hand or the mood you're in. We double this in a 9x13-inch pan and quadruple it in an 11x15-inch pan.

SHAKSHUKA WITH ZUCCHINI NOODLES

~ Pampered Chef

2 medium zucchini
1/2 t. salt
2 T. canola oil, divided
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. cumin
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
8 oz. can tomato sauce
8 eggs
1/2 c. loosely packed parsley

Spiralize the zucchini with the fettucine blade of your Veggie Spiralizer, snipping the noodles to a manageable length. Place some paper towels on your counter or cutting board, then top with zucchini noodles. Sprinkle with salt to drain excess moisture.

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a 12" skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add salted zucchini noodles and cook 3-5 minutes or until softened, tossing occasionally. Remove from skillet, place in a colander, and press with paper towels to drain excess moisture.

Add remaining tablespoon of oil to skillet and cook jalapeno, onion, garlic, and cumin for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Stir in chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, and zucchini noodles. Cover and simmer 5-6 minutes.

Gently crack eggs into skillet, spacing them 1" apart. Cover and cook 4-5 minutes or until eggs have just set.

Remove skillet from heat and use Herb Mill to grate parsley over the dish before serving.

Notes: It's really important to drain your noodles well to prevent this dish from being too runny. I've linked a couple of the Pampered Chef tools the recipe calls for, but you can use whatever you have on hand if you don't own those particular products.

BEAN & VEGGIE SOUP

~ Bethany Weathersby

1 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 c. garbanzo beans
4 c. cooked, pureed squash (I've used a mix of patty pan and zucchini)
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1 t. garlic powder
1 T. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until tender. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer twenty minutes.

Notes: This was a "raid the freezer and cabinet" lunch we made in our Rockcrok Dutch Oven with beans and squash we'd previously cooked and frozen that turned out to be pretty tasty. I didn't actually measure any of the seasonings, so the amounts here are just estimates and you can adjust them as you see fit.

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ROASTED ZUCCHINI

~ Bethany Weathersby

zucchini,
olive oil
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut zucchini into 1/2 - 3/4 " slices, drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 10 minutes or until tender.

ROASTED VEGGIE & BLACK BEAN TACOS

~ Cooking Classy

1 1/2 c. tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced
1 1/2 c. corn kernels cut from cob
1 1/2 c. diced zucchini
1 1/2 c. diced yellow squash
1 c. diced yellow onion
1 c. diced red bell pepper
1 1/2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 T. canola oil
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder, divided
3/4 t. salt, or to taste
1/4 t. pepper, or to taste
1 c. canned black beans, drained, rinsed, and warmed
1/3 c. cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 T. lime juice
corn or flour tortillas, warmed
queso fresco (optional)
sour cream (optional)
Mexican hot sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place first six ingredients in a mound on a large baking sheet. In a small bowl mix both oils, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle oil mixture over veggies, toss to coat, then spread veggies in an even layer. Roast ten minutes, toss and spread again into an even layer, then roast another ten minutes or until veggies reach desired tenderness.

Just before the veggies are done roasting, toss warmed black beans with remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder. Once veggies have been removed from the oven, add bean mixture, cilantro, and lime juice. Toss until well mixed. Serve on warmed tortillas and top with queso fresco, sour cream, and hot sauce, if desired.

Notes: Dice all veggies approximately the same size for even cooking. We use crockpot beans instead of canned, frozen corn that's been thawed instead of fresh off the cob, cotija or queso fresco, and corn tortillas. We double this for our family (about 18 cups of produce and beans for six people) and only have a little left at the end of the meal.

HOLDEN VEGGIES

~ Cynthia Hockman-Chupp

1 c. chopped onion
2 c. thinly sliced carrots
2 c. chopped summer squash
1 c. chopped bell pepper
1 1/2 c. corn
1 1/2 c. chopped tomatoes
cooked beans (optional)
1 t. cumin
1 t. coriander
1/2 t. salt
garlic or garlic powder, to taste
cayenne, to taste
cilantro, to taste
sour cream (optional)
grated cheese (optional)

Saute onions and carrots while chopping other vegetables. Add squash and bell pepper, then saute for 2-3 minutes. Add corn, tomatoes, and beans, if desired, along with seasonings, and cook until vegetables are soft. 

Notes: The quantities are totally flexible. I sometimes skip the coriander if we don't have it on hand and use fresh garlic that I toss in with the carrots and onion. I've served this a variety of ways - without cheese and with cotija, with and without cilantro, with and without sour cream or avocado dressing, with zukes instead of summer squash, and in various combinations of veggies, rice, and crockpot beans. You could also serve this as a topping for haystacks, in a tortilla, or with cornbread. 

QUICK CREAMY ZUCCHINI SOUP

~ allrecipes magazine (I think it was the June/July 2014 issue, but I can't remember)

4 c. (about 1 lb.) shredded zucchini
3/4 c. water
1 1/4 t. salt, divided
1/2 t. dried basil
3 T. flour
2 c. milk
3 T. butter
2 T. finely chopped onion
pepper, to taste

Stir zucchini, water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and basil together in a pot. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to medium-low. Cover pot and simmer 15 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Pour zucchini into a blender and blend until smooth or use an immersion blender in the pot.

In a bowl, mix flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then gradually whisk in milk until smooth.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat,  then add onion, cooking 5-7 minutes or until translucent. Pour pureed zucchini and milk mixture into skillet. Bring to a boil while stirring continually. Season with pepper before serving.

Makes 4-5 cups.

Notes: My preferred way of making this is to skip the butter and toss the onion in with the zucchini, then put flour in a separate bowl and slowly add milk until smooth so that you aren't trying to break up clumps of flour in the zucchini mixture. 

I've made this as directed, with dried minced onion and fresh, with and without butter, and with both regular and dairy-free milks. 

PASTA WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO TURKEY AND VEGGIES

~ Bethany Weathersby

pasta
zucchini, chopped or sliced
sun-dried tomato seasoned turkey breast, chopped or sliced
roasted red bell peppers
olives, chopped
parmesan cheese

Cook pasta to desired doneness; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, saute zucchini over high heat until starting to brown, then stir in turkey, peppers, and olives until heated through. Combine with drained pasta and serve, sprinkling individual servings with parmesan cheese.

PEANUT BUTTER VEGETABLE CHICKEN SOUP

~ allrecipes

8 c. chicken broth
2 c. diced, cooked chicken
1 c. peeled, cubed potatoes
1 c. diced carrots
1 c. diced zucchini
1 c. broccoli florets
1 c. canned whole tomatoes, diced
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 t. chopped parsley
salt & pepper, to taste

Combine broth, chicken, potatoes, and carrots in stock pot.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook ten minutes, or until veggies are tender.  Add zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, celery, onion, bell pepper, and garlic, then simmer about eight minutes.  Add peanut butter, parsley, salt, and pepper, stirring until peanut butter is fully blended .  Simmer at least three minutes.

Notes: I dump in a whole can of diced tomatoes rather than using half a can of whole ones and chopping them myself.  

ZUCCHINI RIBBON, QUINOA, & PESTO SALAD

~ Naturally Ella 

1 large zucchini

1/2 c. cooked quinoa

2 c. packed basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/4 c. pine nuts

1/3 c. parmesan 

2 T. olive oil

2 T. lemon juice

Use a vegetable peeler to peel zucchini into ribbons. Combine zucchini and quinoa in a serving bowl. Lightly toast pine nuts in a dry skillet, then set aside to cool.  

Pulse garlic in food processor. Add basil, pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil, and lemon juice. Pulse until well combined; if necessary, add more olive oil or lemon juice to reach desired consistency. Mix pesto with zucchini and quinoa.   

Notes: You could use store-bought pesto in a pinch, but I like being able to leave this pesto at a chunkier consistency for this dish. For a vegetarian meal, it's good served with roasted mushrooms with garlic, thyme, and balsamic vinegar.

SPICY ASIAN ZUCCHINI SLAW

~ Grant Butler, undated Oregonian clipping

SALAD
1 large zucchini, julienned or shredded
1 orange bell pepper, cut into thin 1-inch long slices
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 c. bean sprouts
1/3 c. raw cashews

DRESSING
3 T. rice wine vinegar
1 T. tamari or soy sauce
1 T. dark sesame oil
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 t. toasted sesame seeds
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

In a large bowl, toss the salad ingredients together.  In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Pour dressing over salad just before serving and toss to coat.  

Makes about six cups, though the size of the zucchini and bell pepper will cause that to vary a little.

Notes: I don't think this is spicy at all, but you can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to increase or decrease the spice level to suit your taste.

ZUCCHINI & TOMATO SKILLET

~ Sandy's Kitchen Adventures

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. olive oil
1 t. dried basil
1 t. salt
dash pepper
6 c. zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
3 c. tomatoes, peeled and diced or canned
1 T. parmesan cheese

Place garlic and oil in large skillet and cook on medium high heat until garlic is browned. Add salt, pepper, basil, and zucchini. Saute for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and cook until heated through, about one minute. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Makes six servings.

Notes: I chop fresh tomatoes, but I don't peel them. We've eaten this plain, but we've also diced up leftovers, then tossed them into scrambled eggs or mixed with leftover beans and rice. The cheese isn't essential, so just leave it out if you're dairy-free.

FABULOUS ZUCCHINI GRINDERS

~ allrecipes
.
1 T. butter
2 medium zucchini, cubed
1 pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. marinara sauce
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
4 (6 inch) French or Italian sandwich rolls, split

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the zucchini in butter until browned and slightly tender. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and stir in the marinara sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is heated.

Spoon a generous amount of the zucchini mixture into each sandwich roll. Top with a handful of shredded mozzarella. Close the rolls, and wrap individually in aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until bread is heated through, and cheese is melted. Makes about three cups of filling.
.
Notes: We prefer making these as open-faced sandwiches on English muffins or sandwich rolls. I read the review on allrecipes and made the following changes - toast the open rolls while the oven is heating up, use one small/medium zuke per sandwich, saute the zukes on high to speed up the browning, add some garlic powder to the sauce, and put some of the cheese down on the toasted bread before adding the zukes. Toasting the bread and putting cheese down first keeps the sauce from making the bread soggy. We've used mozzarella, Mexican blend, cheddar, and pepperjack for these.

GRILLED SICILIAN ZUCCHINI

~ Bethany Weathersby

zucchini, cut into spears
simple Sicilian salad dressing

Marinate zucchini in dressing for as long as you want, then place on hot grill until it's slightly limp and the outside is as charred as you want it.

Notes: You can broil the zucchini if grilling isn't an option.

ZUCCHINI BREAD

~ Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book

1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 c. sugar
1 c. finely shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/4 c. cooking oil
1 egg
1/4 t. finely shredded lemon peel (optional)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. In another bowl combine sugar, zucchini, oil, egg, and lemon peel; mix well. Add flour mixture; stir just until combined. Stir in walnuts.

Pour into greased 8x4x2-inch loaf pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Makes one loaf.

ZUCCHINI DROP COOKIES

~ Lucille Schneider, my grandma

1 c. grated zucchini
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. margarine or oil
1 egg, beaten
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. salt
1 c. chopped nuts
1 c. raisins

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine zucchini, sugar, and margarine. Stir in egg. 

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, salt, nuts, and raisins. Add to zucchini mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 12–15 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Notes: I don't use nuts or raisins, but sometimes use extra cloves.

FRESH VEGETABLE SOUP

1 onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 T. olive oil
2 14.5 oz. cans chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 yellow squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 c. green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 T. fresh dill

Cook onion, carrots and celery in oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until golden, about 10 minutes. Add broth, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Stir in zucchini, yellow squash, and green beans. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Add dill. Makes about 5 cups.

Notes: This also tastes good pureed for those who aren't big veggie fans or who prefer smooth soups.

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE

~ The Pillsbury Cookbook

1 pkg. pudding-included devil’s food cake mix
1 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. cloves
2 c. shredded, unpeeled zucchini
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. oil
3 eggs
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9x13-inch pan.

In large bowl, blend cake mix, cinnamon, cloves, zucchini, buttermilk, oil and eggs at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at highest speed. Pour into prepared pan; sprinkle with nuts and chips.

Bake for 35 – 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve plain or frost as desired.

Notes: I use extra cloves and use neither nuts nor frosting, and it still tastes great. It’s super moist!

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GARDEN ITALIAN SALAD

~ The Pillsbury Cookbook

1 c. orzo
1 c. thinly sliced zucchini
1/2 c. shredded carrot
1/2 c. sliced olives
1/4 c. sliced green onions
2 oz. jar chopped pimientos, drained
1/2 c. Italian salad dressing
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Cook orzo to desired doneness as directed on package; drain. Rinse with cold water.

In large bowl, combine orzo, zucchini, carrot, olives, onions and pimiento. Pour dressing over salad; toss well. Refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors. Add mozzarella cheese just before serving.

Notes: Slice the zucchini very thinly! This makes it okay for veggie-haters. Good to make before bed and then eat for lunch the next day.

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ZUCCHINI CAKE

~ Taste of Home, Collector’s Edition

2-1/2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1-1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 c. shredded zucchini
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

FROSTING
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. powdered sugar
additional chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease 9x13-inch pan. 

In large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In separate bowl, combine oil and eggs; add to dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in zucchini until thoroughly combined. Fold in walnuts, if desired. Pour into prepared baking pan and bake 35–40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

In small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar. Frost cake. Sprinkle with nuts if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes: I never use nuts and get rave reviews from everyone I’ve served this to. I've also made this recipe as cupcakes, baking two dozen at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.