Tag Archive: zucchini


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Zucchini, Mushroom, Tomato & Pepper Egg Whites

Time:  6 Minutes
Yields:  2 Servings
8 Ingredient Recipe

Ingredients:

6 Egg Whites, cage free, vegetarian fed
1/4 Cup Organic Coconut milk
1/2 Organic Zucchinni, chopped
1/4 Organic Onion, chopped
1/4 Organic Yellow Pepper
3 Organic Mushrooms, sliced
1 Organic Roma Tomato, chopped
1 Organic Scallion, diced
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Crack and separate egg whites in bowl, discard any discolored or white pieces.  Add coconut milk sea salt and pepper to mixture.  Whisk for 2 minutes until well beaten.  In hot skillet take onions, peppers, mushrooms and zucchinni cooking for 2 minutes mixing.  Once veggies begin to sweat add egg white mixture cook on medium heat until cooked through.  Plate egg whites and top with fresh chopped tomatoes and scallions.

Additions:

Goes great with seeded grain bread or sprouted grain bread.

Note:

Be sure to cook the veggies only al dente.  You want them warm but still crisp in order to keep the nutrients intact.

Agave Veggie Kabobs w/ Pineapple & Quinoa

Veggie Kabobs on Couscous

Yields: 2 Servings
Time:  30 Minutes or Less
7 Ingredient Recipe
Vegan Vegetarian Dish

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup Quinoa
  • 4 oz. teriyaki-flavored baked tofu
  • 8 large white mushrooms, stems on
  • 1 zucchini, cut into wedges
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 4 Pineapple chunks
  • Agave to drizzled to taste
  • 4 skewers (soak in water prior to cooking)

Directions:

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Preheat broiler, pan or grill. Cut tofu into 4 large pieces. Start threading ingredients on skewers, beginning with a mushroom, cap side first.  Alternate tofu, zucchini wedge, pineapple, and tomato, ending with a mushroom, stem end first. Repeat with second skewer. For remaining skewers, use ” instead of tofu. Place filled skewers on baking sheet, and drizzle with agave to taste.
Broil or grill skewers, turning after first 5 minutes of cooking, and drizzle with additional agave. Cook for about 5 minutes more, or until mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat.
To serve, spoon quinoa on individual plates, and top with 2 skewers per serving.

Nutritional Information

  • Calories: 590
  • Protein: 39 g
  • Total Fat: 10 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 37 g
  • Fiber: 10 g
  • Sugar: 5 g

Health Benefits of Zucchini

There are many health benefits that zucchini and its summer squash family bring.  Zucchini has a delicious rich taste with a crisp texture.  Zucchini is a wonderful veggie that can easily compliment an array of culinary dishes.

With the abundant health properties zucchini brings we should all try to bring it into our meals this summer season.

Diet

Zucchini is a great veggie to keep you slim and trim.  Whether you are watching your weight and looking to reduce unwanted pounds or simply looking for healthy foods to help you maintain your figure, zucchini is a winner.  One cup of zucchini has under 40 calories and meets 10% percent of your daily fiber intake.  Zucchini is great for aiding digestion, and constipation.  Zucchini maintains low blood sugar and aids in curbing hunger helping you from overeating.

Cholesterol Lowering

The fiber found in zucchini is a great aid in lowering cholesterol.  It does this by attaching to bile acids the liver makes from cholesterol in its fat digesting process. Additionally, the high levels of vitamin C and vitamin A found in zucchini prevent cholesterol from oxidizing in the body’s blood vessels, which hampers the onset of atherosclerosis.

Cancer Prevention

The dietary fiber in zucchini is a wonderful aid in promoting regularity,which  help prevent carcinogenic toxins from settling in the colon. The vitamins C, vitamin A, and folate, act as powerful antioxidants that fight oxidative stress, which has been responsible for leading to many different types of cancer.

Prostate Health

Scientific research has shown that phytonutrients found in zucchini aid in reducing the symptoms of benign
prostatic hypertrophy (BOH).  BOH is a condition in which the prostate gland enlarges and leads
to complications that include trouble with urination and sexual functions in men.

Anti-Inflammatory
The powerful antioxidants Vitamins C and A found in zucchini are effective anti-inflammatory agents. Copper is also found in zucchini, which has been known ward off the development of many hyper-inflammatory disorders, including asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention

Zucchini is rich in magnesium a mineral which has been proven to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
One cup of zucchini provides 10% of the RDA of Magnesium.
Zucchini is also rich in folate, a vitamin needed to break down dangerous amino acid homocysteine.
High Homocycsteine levels can lead to heart attack and stroke.

Lower Blood Pressure
The potassium found in zucchini is a great help in lowering blood pressure naturally.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can lead to arteriosclerosis (blood
vessel damage), heart attack, stroke, and many other serious medical conditions. Both
the potassium and magnesium in zucchini, can aid in alleviating stress on the
body’s circulatory system.

High in Manganese

Zucchini also has a wonderful trace mineral and essential nutrient, manganese which provides many health benefits.
Manganese contributes to many of the needed physiological functions. One cup of zucchini provides 19% of the RDA of manganese, which helps the body metabolize protein and carbohydrates.

The manganese in zucchini increases the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the enzyme responsible for protecting mitochondria against oxidative stress. Manganese is essential for the production of proline, an amino acid that allows collagen to form.  Proline production allows for healthy skin and proper wound-healing.

Now that you are aware of the Abundant Nutrition Zucchini brings be sure to get some on your plate!

We have been talking about our beautiful organic garden we made this year in our home made raised garden beds.
It is has been only 2 short months since we planted these seeds in the dirt and they have really taken off.
We have had 4 small harvests to date and are really excited about our “Black Beauty” Organic Zucchini plant.
This one above we found out is a female and has really began to explode with Zucchini this season.
It has produced 3 Zucchini to date and has several small ones growing.  The Zucchini from this seed is
extraordinarily large.  We fed a family of 4 half of a zucchini and we were all full.  Once this large one was
pulled off the plant, another one exploded into an even larger size right behind the last.  We have found that half of
one zucchini fills up 4 adults and makes 2 separate meals.  In comparison to the zucchinni we were buying at
the store it was taking 8-9 small ones to equal the amount this zucchini plant provides.  This veggie is super
delicious with sweet nutty notes and makes a delicious veggie side for these hot months.
At the rate it is growing, we should have fresh zucchinni daily during this summer.
We are super excited at the rapid growth and success of our organic  raised garden bed.

Here is the first zucchini we harvested and although it looks small take a look at my fingers this one was
larger across then my hand and in person just huge. It weighed a little over 2lbs and made a delicious feast.

Here it is is in person after pulling it from the plant. These have been such a wonderful summer treat to eat in a variety of dishes.
We have been taking our zucchini and chopping it fine to top salads, rice, as well as making
grilled, seared, sauteed and steamed zucchini.  We have found it doesn’t need more then a minute on each side,
which just slightly raises the temp to room temperature keeping it crisp and crunchy, al dente style,
with all the nutrition still intact.

If you have thought of growing zucchini before and didn’t do it, I would highly recommend starting with this veggie.
It grows quick and can compliment just about any meal.
Enjoy!

How to Get Your Kid to Eat Vegetables

10 tips from a mom who knows

By Sarah Matheny, aka “Mama Pea”

Picky Eater Solutions: 10 ways to get your kids to eat vegetables

It’s the age-old question for parents: How do we get our kids to eat vegetables? There’s bribery. There’s trickery.
There’s all out war. But I’m not made of money, I’m really bad at lying, and going toe-to-toe with a three year-old
is something I’m not emotionally or physically prepared for — she’s freakishly strong. So with two young girls who willingly
gobble up veggies and a name like Mama Pea, I’ve got a few tried-and-true techniques to get kids excited for dinner, peas and all.

1: Let them choose

Picky Eater Solutions: Let them choose

It’s not a new concept that kids like to be in control, considering we’re usually the ones calling the shots. So it can be exciting to take a trip to the produce department and have permission to pick a new fruit or vegetable they’d like to try. The deal is: They get to choose whatever they want but only if everyone in the family agrees to try it. And yes, that means you may have to down a turnip or two yourself.

2: Let them cook

Picky Eater Solutions: Let them cook

Like with shopping, kids get excited about being involved in making their meals. Offer build-your-own pasta bowls, salads, or stir fries.
If you arrange an assortment of veggies in small bowls and let your kids get creative, it’s amazing what they might try.

3: Shun the can

Picky Eater Solutions: Shun the can

My husband grew up thinking he didn’t like green beans because he’d only ever eaten them canned.
But fresh veggies taste far different (and in my opinion, better) than their canned counterparts.
Hit farmers markets or shop for sales on fresh produce, and your kids might actually eat what they otherwise thought was “yucky” from a can.

4: Make it a game

Picky Eater Solutions: Make it a game

Everyone knows you can call broccoli “trees,” but did you know that carrots help give you super vision?
So super that you can see through walls? Your kid didn’t know that either, but he or she will have fun trying.

5: Close the kitchen, except for veggies

Picky Eater Solutions: Close the kitchen, except for veggies

In our house, the cupboards are closed between meals, aside from a planned snack.
If the kids are still hungry, they know that the produce drawers are always open and ready for the picking.
If they’re truly hungry, they’ll eat that carrot or celery stick, and they can even get it themselves.

6: Sauce-it-up

Picky Eater Solutions: Sauce-it-up

Find a healthy sauce you approve of and that your kids enjoy, and let them use it liberally.
Be it ranch, hummus, or peanut sauce — dip, drizzle, and mix it in, and your kids will be eating veggies you never dreamed of.

7: Be a monkey

Picky Eater Solutions: Be a monkey

Monkey see, monkey do. If you don’t eat your veggies, your kid doesn’t stand a chance.
Model the behavior you want to see from them. Load up your plate with the green stuff and show them how it’s done.

8: Turn on the heat

Picky Eater Solutions: Turn on the heat

While your children may not like raw broccoli, they may enjoy it lightly steamed.
Raw green beans become “green bean fries” when they are roasted in the oven and served with ketchup.
Try new ways of preparation before writing off a veggie completely.

9: Take a field trip

Picky Eater Solutions: Take a field trip

Again, kids love the hands-on approach. Visit a u-pick field and let your kids go to town on green beans, snap peas, and zucchini.
They might not even make it out of the field before they have a tummy full of the good stuff.

10: Repeat, repeat, repeat

Picky Eater Solutions: Repeat, repeat, repeat

Kids’ tastes are constantly changing and developing. Don’t give up after the first try.
It may take using every single one of these tips a dozen times before they become willing accomplices.
But since you are eating your veggies too, you should have all the stamina you need to stick with it.

Summer Squash and Red Peppers

If you are looking for healthy low fat summer veggie options then you might want to pair these three together.  The fresh summer squash both yellow and green with the sweet red peppers makes a wonderful and healthy combination.  Quickly slice them up and pan saute them for 1-2 minutes per side for a delicious veggie dish filled with nutrients.  Leaving them al dente and still crisp will keep the bulk of their nutrients intact while keeping your cooking time down this summer. This goes great with quinoa as a perfect filling meal.  You can pair it with just about any other main dish for a great combination of taste and texture.

Healthy Affordable Dinner on a budget @ $2 per plate

Time: 45 Minutes
Yield: 4-6 Servings
(10 Item Recipe)

Ingredients:

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
*Trader Joe’s 3lb -16 piece bag of chicken for $6 No Hormones, No Steroids, No Antibiotics, Grain Fed Natural Chicken – used only 4 pieces*
1 organic Zucchinni Squash, sliced into rings
1 organic Yellow Squash, sliced into rings
1 organic Red Bell Pepper. sliced into strips
1 organic Avocado, sliced
Extra Virgin Olive oil spray for searing chicken and veggies
1 cup organic Brown & Wild Rice
1/4 cup organic Cilantro, finely diced
1 organic Lemon or Lime
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper

Directions:

In a large pot or rice cooker start your wild rice according to package.  About 10 minutes before rice is done heat pan or flat top grill.  Sprinkle chicken with sea salt and pepper.  Five minutes before rice is completed sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Cook chicken until juices are clear.  While awaiting chicken 6 minutes before done start veggies.  Slice squash and bell pepper into rings, sprinkle with sea salt then put onto flat top or another skillet on medium heat.  Cook for 2 minutes each side.  While awaiting veggies take avocado and slice it into pieces.  Let chicken rest for 2 minutes.  Plate one piece of chicken topped with avocado, one large spoonful of rice, and grilled veggies. Finish plate with wedge of fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice on all plate.

Note:

This is an amazingly affordable and super nutritious meal for all the family.  We picked up the chicken from Trader Joe’s which was all natural and only used 4 pieces of the 16 piece bag which came in at $1.50 total for the 4 large chicken breasts.  This meal is fast and fresh and filled with healthy nutrients for the whole family.  If you are feeding children they will get a 1/2 plate which comes in at $1.  When cooking the veggies they cook fast you only want a slight sear on the outside without burning them.  They will still be crunchy and firm inside keeping their nutrients intact.  Be sure to spray your pan with olive oil cooking spray so they don’t burn or stick.

Vegan Carrot Zucchini Muffins 

Time: 25 Minutes
Yield: 12 – 15
(10 Item Recipe)
Naturally Vegan & Vegetarian

Muffin Ingredients:

1 organic banana, medium ripe, frozen, then thawed
⅔ cup organic agave (low glycemic index)
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups fresh organic carrots, grated (2 medium carrots)
1/2 cup fresh organic zucchini, grated (1 small zucchini)
1½ cups organic whole wheat flour (I use and prefer Bob’s Red Mill Brand)
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. ground organic cinnamon
½ tsp. ground organic nutmeg
Frosting Ingredients:

4 oz. vegan cream cheese
2 Tbs. organic Agave (low glycemic index)
Carrot Zucchini Muffin
 Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat muffin tin or 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray, I prefer and use olive oil spray. Mash thawed banana in large bowl. Whisk in agave, oil, carrots, zucchini. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in separate bowl. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture, until no lumps remain.
Pour cake batter into prepared muffin tin or baking pan. Bake muffins 18-24 minutes , until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Transfer to wire rack, and cool completely. Keep in mind that oven temps range and you may need more or less time depending on how hot your oven gets. If it needs more or less time feel free to adjust it accordingly.
Frosting Directions:
Whip vegan cream cheese, and agave with fork in bowl until smooth. Dollop 1 tsp. Topping onto each cupcake.

Tomato Basil Spaghetti Squash w/ Garlic Parsley Zucchini

Time: 45 Minutes to 1 hour
Yield: 6-8 Servings
(8 Item Recipe)

Ingredients:

Large Organic Spaghetti Squash
5-10 Large Roma Tomatoes, chopped and mashed
1 Large Organic Zuchinni, diced small
4 Clove Organic Garlic, minced fine
1/2 Cup Organic Parsley
1/4 Cup Organic Basil, minced
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  If you are raw you can omit the cooking and simply prepare the steps in order without heat.  Take your spaghetti squash out and wash it then pat dry it.  Get out a large baking dish or baking tray.


Take the two halves and place on cutting board or flat surface skin side down.

Then gently remove seeds with spoon.

Get your baking dish out.  Take a teaspoon of olive oil and rub flesh side of squash.  If you have olive oil spray that works well also.  Once olive oil is massaged in turn skin side up in baking tray.  Add 1 cup purified water.

Cover with foil top of squash only so it doesn’t burn skin.  Cook for 30 to 45 minutes.

While the spaghetti squash is cooking get out your zuchinni, garlic, parsley and tomatoes.
Take your washed zuchinni and chop into small rings.

If you have a food processor you can take the zucchini, and garlic and pulse it up into small pieces.  If you do not have a food processor just dice it up into small pieces.

Take your chopped zucchini and garlic and place it into a large bowl.

Next take your washed tomatoes and basil and put them into the rinsed food processor.  If you do not have one dice then mash your tomatoes until smooth. Take tomatoes and put into another bowl.

Next get out your fresh parsley and wash it then pat it dry.

If you have a food processor you are going to want to remove the stems and pulse it up.  If you dont have a food processor you can dice the parsley up fine.

Remove your diced parsley and add it to the bowl of diced zucchini and garlic.

Get out a small saucepan and add your tomato and basil mixture plus one teaspoon olive oil.

Get out another frying pan small to medium in size that the zucchini mixture will fit in.  Warm the pan to medium heat then add one teaspoon of olive oil.

As soon as oil is hot typically about 30 to 60 seconds add zucchini mixture.  Pan should make a sizzling sound.  Toss zucchini mixture until golden.

You want to be browning the zucchini and garlic while cooking the tomato and basil on medium low.  The key is to have these ready so that when the squash is done you can top them all together while they are hot.  I usually start the zucchini and sauce about 10 to 15 minutes before the squash is done. When you are cooking the zucchini and garlic you want to cook it on a low setting.  Your goal is to cook it to a light golden color.  They should be crisp and still have a crunch if you have done it right.

Stir the zucchini a few times while it sears.  Add fresh pepper and sea salt.
Remember crisp not soggy.  The less you cook it the more nutrition will remain intact so it is important to keep it crunchy.

As soon as the spaghetti squash is done remove from oven.

Turn the squash skin side down.

With a fork starting from one side pull fork straight down scraping spaghetti squash away from the skin.  You should see small noodle like pieces forming. Once you get a good amount scraped you can put it in a bowl.  Then continue until all the squash is removed from the skin.

Once all the squash is removed from the skins and is in bowl.  Take olive oil and drizzle squash. Pour zucchini and garlic mixture over the squash noodles.

Toss the squash noodles and mixture together coating evenly.

Add the tomato and basil to the mixture.

Mix well until sauce is evenly distributed and coats squash noodles.

Add more sauce until desired sauce amount is achieved.  Continue to mix.
Top with nutritional yeast for our vegan and vegetarians or Parmesan cheese.
I enjoy this meal without any topping but of course if you are transitioning from a traditional diet and feel you really want to top it you can. If you have never tried nutritional yeast you should definitely try it.  I prefer Bob’s Red Mill Brand which you can find at your local health food store or online at:
Bob’s Red Mill.com

More about Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast is grown on enriched purified cane and beet molasses under carefully controlled conditions. T6635, with the addition of vitamin B12, is an ideal vegetarian support formula and has an appealing cheese flavor. It can be sprinkled over popcorn or salads, added to juice, cereal, smoothies, gravies, soups or casseroles, or used to make sandwich spreads.

So here we are at day 4 of our Organic Garden project.  We have green beans, carrots, red lettuce, spinach, cantaloupe, bell peppers, beets, yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes and more.  The fastest growers seem to be the green beans (shown on the right).  Now I understand why Jack climbed the bean stalk, they do grow amazingly fast, and they just keep getting taller each day.

According to the Burpee instructions we are going to get these started inside for 4 weeks, then we take them outside to acclimate to the weather and then we plant them.  We will be building a raised garden bed just like our previous article on garden beds documented and will be reporting with pictures as they grow to show you what you can expect.

We look forward to having a ton of fresh organic produce while also driving the cost down.
We will be able to produce a great yield and have more then the cost to buy it.  The majority of the cost in a garden is going to be your time, and then second your water, which is still much less then buying your fruits and veggies.  It is a rewarding treat to bring your food from the garden to the plate knowing just exactly what went into your food source to produce it.

We will be using all natural pest deterrents with a mix of cayenne and vinegar which pushes the little critters away from your food keeping it bug free.  We will be sharing the recipe for the mix as well in the upcoming months as the garden progresses.

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