Zucchini // Favorite Farmhouse recipes

This time of year I'm usually knee-deep in zucchinis. They're coming out of my garden as if they're going out of style. Last year what I did to keep up with the bounty was feed my family zucchini at every meal (that went well until they all got sick of it) and the other thing I did was shred the zucchini and freeze it in zip-block bags. It still wasn't enough so this year I concocted a plan and came up with a few more recipes to help keep up with the madness.

In this post I will be sharing several of my favorite zucchini recipes... something for the whole family. Whether you have a sweet-tooth on your hands who will love my zucchini banana muffins, or for the health-nut, try my zucchini fries. In this post I also share a recipe for my Zucchini Vinaigrette Salad, which is great to take to a pot-luck or make as a side dish to a light dinner out on the patio.

The first recipe I'm sharing today is my Zucchini Banana Muffins. This is a great recipe to have in your collection because it's easy, versatile, and kids love getting in on this one and help out in the kitchen. My muffin recipe is exactly like my Blissful Banana Bread recipe except instead of using 3 to 5 ripe bananas I use 3 to 4 ripe bananas and add 1 cup of shredded, drained zucchini. That's it! I love the whole concept of minimalism, especially when it comes to recipes so I feel like this recipe is a two for one deal...

To watch a video tutorial on my Blissful Banana Bread click the video below.

Next up in line for our favorite zucchini recipes is my Zucchini Vinaigrette Salad. This recipe is very refreshing, especially on those hot and humid days when you don't want to fire up the stove or oven. This salad is unique in that the base ingredient is zucchini rather than lettuce and the flavors are a perfect balance of salty, sweet, and tart. Versatility is also present in this recipe because if you desire, swap out zucchini for cucumbers or adding other vegetables to the mix that are not listed below and the recipe is still delicious.

zucchini, salad, healthy eating, vegetables, side dish

vegetables, side dish, salad

Author: Greeting Tree FarmPin it

Zucchini Vinaigrette Salad

A unique salad that is refreshing and delicious. Great served as a side dish or all on its own.

prep time: 20 minscook time: total time: 20 mins

ingredients

• 2 large zucchinis,  cubed
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 small purple onion, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Additional Vegetable Options

• 1 small green or red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small cucumber, cubed

Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

• 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup of cane sugar
• 3/4 cup of water

instructions

Dressing

1. mix all ingredients thoroughly together and set aside

Salad

1. Wash and prepare all vegetables as instructed above and toss in a salad bowl. 
2. Add half of the prepared dressing, toss, and taste.  Season with salt and pepper. 
3. Add more dressing as desired and/or serve extra dressing on the side. 

NOTES:

This salad tastes even better the next day so if possible, make a day ahead.

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Another recipe I'm sharing today is my Fermented Cilantro and Turmeric Zucchini Relish. This recipe is a unique blend of herbs that compliment the zesty flavor of the garlic while balancing out the tartness from the fermentation process. If you are new to fermentation and would like more information click the video below.

If cilantro and Turmeric are not your favorite herbs then swap them out for fresh dill and sweet red pepper. Another great combination in the herb world would be fresh basil and oregano. Tailor the recipe to your liking. This is great served as a side dish, mixed in with tuna salad giving the classic dish a unique twist, or used as a topping on a fresh salad. 

To view a tutorial of this recipe click the video below.

The last recipe I'm sharing is Zucchini Fries. I love making these as an alternative to regular french fries and they're not only a healthy alternative, but super tasty too!

zucchini, vegetables, zucchini muffins, salad, fermented foods, live foods, zucchini fries

vegetables, side dishes, baked goods

Author: Greeting Tree FarmPin it

Zucchini Fries

A tasty alternative to the traditional french fry, great with ketchup, honey mustard, or by themselves. Serve with hamburgers on the grill and you'll be in for a twist on an old classic!

prep time: 10 minscook time: 50 minstotal time: 60 mins

ingredients

• 2 small-medium zucchinis, washed, and sliced long ways to desired size (they should resemble french fries)
• 1/4 cup cornmeal 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a baking dish with olive oil.
2. In a gallon size zip-block bag add zucchini, cornmeal, Parmesan cheese, and sea salt. Close the bag and shake the bag until zucchini is well covered with the ingredients. 
3. Spread zucchini evenly on the greased baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. flip zucchini fries and bake another 25 minutes or until desired crispiness is reached. 
4. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving and season with salt and pepper. 

http://www.greetingtreefarm.com/2018/08/zucchini-farmhouse-recipes.html

Created using The Recipes Generator

A few other tips I have for using zucchini in your cooking are simple and practical. One way that we use zucchini is in our omelets for breakfast. Zucchini adds a different texture to the dish making it a little extra filling. Another recipe I've experimented with is making eggplant Parmesan, but swapping the eggplant with zucchini. This was a surprisingly delicious twist on one of my favorite Italian dishes.

 The last suggestion I have is shredding up the zucchini in food processor and freezing in 1 cup servings stored in zip-block bags. I mentioned this above and I will say it really comes in handy on those evenings when I need an extra vegetable to add to a casserole or a stir-a-fry. It's also fun pulling a bag of shredded zucchini out of your freezer that came from your garden to make scrumptious muffins or zucchini bread. 

I hope this article gave you some ideas and it inspires you to try something new!