Gluten Free Zucchini Pancakes

We are harvesting 3-4 large zucchini per day now and I am enjoying the challenge of finding new ways to prepare them.  Tonight we are having breakfast for dinner so I am making gluten-free zucchini pancakes.  Thank the lord this recipe uses a whole zucchini.

1 ½ cups rice flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups zucchini shredded

3 tbsp agave nectar

4 eggs

3 tbsp safflower oil

1 ½ cups buttermilk

Mix together zucchini, agave, oil, buttermilk and eggs.  In separate bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Stir dry ingredients into wet.  Make like normal pancakes.  Tonight I am topping mine with vanilla yogurt and fresh-pick black berries (thanks Jay and Cole!) and serving them with veggie omelets.

Seafood-stuffed zucchini

SEAFOOD STUFFED ZUCCHINI

1 large zucchini (but not nuke zuke)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion

½ bell pepper

1 cup kale – torn into small pieces

3 cloves garlic (in my opinion there isn’t enough garlic in a dish unless your breath burns your own eyes when you’re done eating; you may want to use less garlic)

Fresh sage and oregano

1 pound crab -or-  1 pound shrimp -or- any desired combination

½ cup quinoa flakes

1 egg

Black pepper to taste

Shredded parmesan

Preheat oven to 350.  Cut zucchini in half width-wise then in half length-wise.  Hollow out inside until walls and bottom are 1/2 inch thick (should look like little green canoes minus the bow and stern).  Boil in water until softened but not mushy.  Meanwhile, dice and sauté onion, pepper and kale then add herbs and garlic toward the end of sauté.  Transfer all vegies from pan to mixing bowl combine pepper, crab and shrimp, quinoa flakes and egg.  Place zucchini boats in a baking pan then fill with seafood mixture.   Top with cheese and bake for 15 minutes until cheese starts to brown

Creamy delicious zucchini soup

For health reasons I am currently on a very strict diet. **Sad face**  But today I created a lunch that not only complied with my diet but was also very tasty and perfect for the crazy amounts of zucchini I am already getting out of my garden.

Creamy delicious zucchini soup

2 med-size zucchini

1 med size onion

2 cloves garlic

4-5 fresh sage leaves

Sprig fresh oregano

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Cheddar-flavored soy “cheese” shreds

Steam or boil in small amount of water in small pot onion, zucchini, sage and oregano until very soft then place in blender.

In same pot heat olive oil, peel and crush garlic cloves then place in hot oil.  Heat garlic until slightly browned.  Add olive oil and garlic to blender.  Blend until very smooth add salt and pepper to taste.  Top with soy “cheese”  serves 2 (or 1 if you're really hungry)

Last-picnic-of-the-year Potato Salad

For those of you who are not quite ready for soups and casseroles, here is a yummy potato salad recipe


5-6 medium red potatoes
1/2 medium sweet onion
1 large dill pickle
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 cup mayonaise
2 TBS sugar
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
1 tsp dried or fresh dill
cracked black pepper and seasoned salt to taste

The day before or the morning of bake potatoes in 350 degree oven until you can feel them give when you squeeze them or they can be easily pierced with a fork.  Be careful not to over bake them.  Also hard boil the eggs then cool both eggs and potatoes in the fridge until completely cool. 

Cut away potato peel (optional), cube potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and put into large mixing bowl.  Dice onion, eggs and  pickle and add to potatoes.  In a small bowl combine mayo, vinegar, sugar, horseradish, mustard and dill; stir until sugar is completely dissolved.  Fold sauce into spuds gently with a spatula then salt and pepper to taste.

cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving

Apple Zucchini Bread

I don't know about you but year after year of too much zucchini has left me a little burnt out on regular old zucchini bread so this year I have experimented a little and come up with a couple of new (picky-eater-approved) zucchini bread recipes.  The first is an Apple zucchini bread.  This bread is moist, flavorful and easy to make and eat!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 2 cups grated granny smith apple
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the oil, sugars and vanilla; beat until blended. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the zucchini, walnuts and apples.
2. Transfer to three greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Best Broccoli Picnic Salad of all time (says my sis)

This salad is chock-full of good-for-you veggies and it's a pleasant departure from other ho-hum "healthy" picnic salads we are all used to.  This salad is fantastic as a side to your BBQ chicken or burger.  It's also yummy served on a bed of salad greens as a lunch or dinner or a hot day.  Or wrap it in a flat bread or pita with from fresh chicken breast for a super special sammy.

This batch serves 2-3

• 1 medium broccoli florette with stem chopped into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 medium onion diced (rinse diced onion under warm water if you don't want dragon breath)
• 1/2 cup reduced fat mayo
• 1 Tbs white wine vinegar
• 1/2 Tbs white sugar
• 6-8 pieces bacon-chopped(cooked until crispy)
• 1/3-1/2 cup currants (or raisins but currants are better)

mix mayo, vinegar and sugar together in medium bowl until smooth.  Add everything else and stir until veggies are coated.  Refrigerate overnight then drive it around in a cooler until you get to your picnic.  This salad is best when shared with a friends

Happy eating!

Super Yum Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan!)

These little honeys will knock your socks off!  Well maybe not literally but I bet you find yourself saying, "holy moly this is a good cookie!" after your first bite.  The best part is they're health- and animal-friendly (a.k.a. vegan)

use vegan versions

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup vanilla coconut milk (found in dairy section next to refrigerated soy milk)
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 4 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Whisk together applesauce, oil, coconut milk and vanilla extract.  Fork together dry ingredients then mix with wet.  Fold in chocolate chips.  On an airbake cookie sheet drop dough in mounded tablespoon scoops 3" apart.  Bake 15-20 minutes for soft cookies.

Cool on pan 2-3 minutes then move to rack to cool completely.  I like them best with coffee for breakfast.

Happy eating!