Zucchini Spiral Salad

I'm the "what's in the frig that I can make tonight", kind of gal. Tossing things together without a plan always, usually gets me a good dinner dish. This particular salad was one of the good ones! I had zucchini to use before it expired and lots of tomatoes to use. So, I created something very simple.

Here's the how to:

2 med/lrg zucchini, spiralized
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 tbs fresh parsley
Pepper to taste (I don't use salt)
Greens, of your choice
Vinaigrette

That's it! I have this cool gadget, the Spiralizer. The handheld and the big one from a popular store.  I haven't mastered either one but do fine for what I make. They make life in the kitchen easier and more creative.

Spiralize the zucchini into a large bowl.  Toss in the diced tomatoes, parsley and pepper, adding any other ingredient of your choice. Such as shaved carrots, sounds good to me.

Then I searched for a dressing with apple cider vinegar, and found Raw Apple Cider Vinaigrette (omitting the salt), here.
Wish I took a photo.

This. Was. A. Great. Dish.  I finished it off on top of a hot sweet potato and some greens (Arugula). Just ask the hubster, he is my biggest fan this week. I've done well introducing him to some new smoothies and dinners.

After checking out the Detoxinista blog, I can't wait to try her Healthy Klondike Bars and Cauliflower Pizza Crust.  Check this site out! Yum.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Butter!

More than a week ago, I mentioned I would share the Zucchini Butter I made. It was delicious!  I enjoyed it on one of my portobello burgers, double yum!

This dish is made with simple ingredients:

2-lbs of zucchini 

1/4 of butter or olive oil 

2-minced shallots or garlic, or combination of both (I did both)

Coarsely grate the zucchini. Let it drain in a colander for 3 to 4 minutes or until you are ready to begin cooking. To hasten cooking time, squeeze the water out of the zucchini by wringing it in a clean cloth towel.

In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil/butter. Sauté the shallots or garlic briefly. Add the zucchini and toss. Cook and stir over medium to medium-high heat until the zucchini reaches a spreadable consistency, about 15 minutes. If you scorch the bottom, turn the flame down! (And scrape those delicious bits into the butter for added flavor -- you can splash in a little water to help deglaze the pan.) The zucchini will hold its bright green color and slowly caramelize into a nice vegetable jam.

Enjoy on toast, or as a side dish. I've done both, plus as a topping for my portobello burgers.  Fantastic! 

I found this original recipe by Jennie Cook. 

What yummy recipes are you finding this summer? 

Veggie Mix and fixin's

Veggie mixin's and Zucchini bites!

I made the yummiest random put-together dish the other night.  I had many vegetables that had to be cooked before they went bad.  There is nothing worse than having food in your refrigerator, that you can't get to cooking it all and everything goes to waste.  I avoid that at all costs!  So I made this vegetable medley, and it came out delicious!

I took half of a medium onion, with an 1/8 tsp of crushed garlic, and caramelized them slowly with low-sodium vegetable juice.  

I added two sliced and quartered zucchini.  

Added a medium eggplant, cubed.  

Approximately 3 cups of green beans, steamed. 

Fresh mushrooms, apprx 5 medium, any kind will do.

A bunch of cherry tomatoes, halved and/or quartered.

I cook the zucchini first (after the caramelizing), since that may take longer to soften. Although I don't cook it until it's translucent.  I like it to have a substantial consistency.  

As I saute, I add the vegetable juice little by little.  Just to keep things from drying an burning.  

These came out so good!  Nothing like cooking up some veggies and flavoring themselves. I don't add much spice, only fresh black pepper and maybe some tumeric.  

This was my (our) main dish, along with a side of...these!

Zucchini Bites

I had plenty of zucchini that needed to be cooked.  So I took 2-more and sliced them about 1/4" thick.  I threw then into a bag, with 1-T of olive oil, added 1/2-c parmesan cheese, 1/4-tsp of black pepper, and 3/4-c of panko bread crumbs.  Any plain or flavored crumbs will do. Once they were coated, I put them onto a sheet (with foil), placed in a pre-heated 400 degree oven, for 20-25 minutes.  Yum!  

Added note: You don't have to flip the bites, just put foil on your sheet and bake!  

So, you can see in the photo above on the left, as they were, before placed into the oven. 

Uh-hum (as I clear my throat), on the right, is that...after they were cooked.  Do you see something missing there?  Of course you do, that would be my son, liking these zucchini bites.  Very much so.  

I should be ever so thankful that they were that good.  They really were. 

The very next night was a 'what should we have', evening.  Don't you get tired of cooking dinner every night, sometimes?  Just trying to think, each night, what to make?  I do.  If it's just me and the hubster, I can get away with something extra healthy, easy and quick.  On this night I took the left over veggie mix, and added a flavor  ~ the red pepper Raw Muhammara Dip that I have made before!  This turned out so moist and yummy.  The eggplant really adds a nice sweet taste to things.  Especially if it's sautéed a bit.  

  I could eat a bowl of this stuff, as a good hearty meal!  Instead, I put this into a new flat bread I stumbled upon at the grocery store.  It was actually intended for something else, but I can't even remember now.  Either way, it sure did work well with this mixture.  

This flax, bran, wheat flat bread was thin and delicious!  I would definitely try it again.  I purchased it at a Giant Food Store near me.  I heated the vegetable mixture, and using a flat frying pan, with raised bars like a panini pan, crusted the bread just right.  YUMMY! They were perfect.  

After drinking green smoothies all day, some fruit and other raw foods, this ends the evening nicely.  Fulfilling and satisfying.  Sometimes an unplanned meal night, ends up one of perfection! 

What are you cooking up lately?