Ballard Nutrition

All those Zucch's!!

I do love zucchini, but each year, why do I plant more than one zucchini plant?

 

I have used zucchini many ways; in soups, stir fry’s, raw with Hummus, grilled, pickled, and of course that yummy zucchini bread.

Even though Zucchini is made up mostly of water and is very low in calories, one medium raw zucchini has 33 calories, 2.37 g of protein, and 6.1 g of carbohydrates and 2 g of fiber. Zucchini and other dark green vegetables are a good source of vitamin A and Vitamin C. These vitamins are necessary for developing the immune system. Zucchini is also a source of potassium, which is essential for the function of all organs, tissues and cells in your body.

Here is a good Recipe to try:

Zucchini-Tomato Au Gratin (Vegetarian Times)

* 1 ½ lb. tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

* 2 medium zucchini (1 lb.), cut into ⅛-inch-thick diagonal slices

* 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. olive oil, divided
* 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
* 2 Tbs. roughly chopped olives (Optional)
* ¼ cup thinly sliced basil leaves
* ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese (Or other cheese of your choice),    divided

1. Drape tomato slices over colander, sprinkle with sea salt, and let drain 45 minutes.

2. Spread zucchini on baking sheet.  Let stand 30 minutes to sweat out excess moisture and pat dry.

3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 1 tsp. oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute zucchini 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to plate. Do this in 2 batches if necessary, adding more oil between batches (Or, you can grill zucchini if you prefer).

4. Layer half of zucchini slices in 8-inch-square baking pan. Top with half of tomatoes. Sprinkle with half of garlic, 1 Tbs. olives, half of basil, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; season with freshly ground black pepper. Repeat with remaining zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, olives, and basil. Drizzle top with 1T oil, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with foil, and bake 10 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 20 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and bubbling. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

 

 

If you have a favorite recipe, please share. ;)