Too hot to cook? Too many cucumbers in the garden? Perfect! Try this refreshing soup for lunch! Chilled Avocado-Cucumber Soup Ingredients: 2 cups cucumbers, peeled & seeded, cut into 1/4" cubes 2 avocados, pitted & peeled 1/2 cup low-fat, plain yogurt 3 Tbl lime juice 1 jalapeno, minced 1/2 c. sliced scallions 2 Tbl chopped cilantro 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 cup ice water Directions: In a blender, combine half the cucumber and 1 avocado with the yogurt, lime juice, halapeno, garlic scallions, 1 Tbl cilantro, water, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Puree until completely smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Cut remaining avocado into 1/4" cubes. Stir avocado and remaining cucumber into soup
When we have a ton of zucchini in the garden and I get tired of eating it every day, I shred some and freeze it. Then in the winter I thaw it to make zucchini bread or these delicious fritters. They're best served right out of the pan (the cook always has to sample her dishes, right??), but they also reheat fairly well. I serve them as an appetizer or side dish. Kids even love them! Serve with a crisp, citrusy white wine. Zucchini Fritters Ingredients: 2 medium zucchini (about 7 ounces each), coarsely shredded 2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced 3 large scallions, very thinly sliced 1/2 cup fresh sheep-milk ricotta cheese 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest Kosher salt and
This quick and easy recipe will help you use up some of those zucchinis, which are overflowing in the garden right about now. Make it for breakfast topped with a sunny-side-up egg or serve it for dinner as your starch/veggie side. Have any extra greens lying around? Chop them up and throw them in, too! I happened to have some leftover Swiss chard and beet greens, so I added them for the last few minutes of cooking. Zucchini Hash Ingredients: 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 lbs potatoes, cut into 3/4" cubes 3 garlic cloves, sliced 2 tablespoons thyme 2 lbs zucchini, cut into 1/2" cubes Directions: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and season wit
Who knew you could make a delicious sandwich with just some zucchini and cheese?! Ok, so the olive tapenade and a great baguette totally make it awesome. These would be great for a picnic or a hot summer night dinner. Use the grill to keep the heat outside! French Summer Sandwiches with Zucchini and Olive Tapenade Ingredients: 2 zucchini, cut in half crosswise, then sliced lengthwise into 1/4" thick planks 5 Tbl olive oil, divided 10 pitted green olives 1 Tbl minced shallot 1 Tbl lemon juice, divided 1 small garlic clove, minced 1 tsp capers, drained 1 1/2 oz (1 1/2 cups) spring mix 1/3 cup minced fresh mint 4 oz soft goat cheese 1 24-inch baguette, cut crosswise into 4 lengths and sliced i
This is my favorite zucchini bread recipe - not too sweet with a touch of chocolate. It's almost cake-like with its moistness, so I recommend serving it with ice cream. It also freezes well. Surprisingly, this is a low-fat recipe and it's still mighty tasty! Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Ingredients: 3/4 cup sugar 3 Tbl oil 2 large eggs 1 cup applesauce 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini 2 cups flour 2 Tbl unsweetened cocoa 1 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup chocolate chips Directions: *Preheat oven to 350 (325 for dark pans) Beat sugar, oil & eggs on low until blended. Stir in applesauce, then zucchini. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon & salt. S
A light, fresh and delicious summer salad. Summer Squash And Red Quinoa Salad With Walnuts Ingredients SERVINGS: 4–6 1/2 cup red or other quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve, drained 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more for seasoning 1 pound assorted summer squash 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan plus 1/4 cup shaved with a peeler 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn Directions PREP: 20 MINTOTAL: 35 MIN Bring quinoa and 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Season with salt
Zucchini-Swiss Chard Tart Prep Time: 45 min Cook Time: 50 min Serves: 8 Ingredients: 1 9-inch refrigerated (or frozen, thawed) pie crust 1 lb Swiss chard 2 Tbl olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1-2 lbs zucchini, diced 2-3 large garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped 1-2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped ½ c. grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese ½ c. milk 3 eggs Directions: Remove the stems/ribs from the Swiss Chard and chop them, set aside. Chop the chard leaves and reserve. Heat oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet; add onion and chard stems. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 mins. Add zucchini. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until
Here's another simple dish that highlights golden beets. Of course you can also use red beets, but the dish will turn out pink. Golden Beet Farfalle Ingredients SERVINGS: 4 TO 6 1/3 cup pine nuts 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 large onions, quartered lengthwise through root end, sliced crosswise (about 4 cups) 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 bunches 2-inch-diameter golden beets with fresh healthy greens; beets peeled, each cut into 8 wedges, greens cut into 1-inch-wide strips 12 ounces farfalle (bow-tie pasta) 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving Directions Heat heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and stir until lightly toasted, about 3 minut
Many times I hear someone say, " I don't like beets; they taste like dirt!" and I just shake my head. To me that means they just haven't had the right beet and the best preparation. For those newbies, I urge them to try Golden Beets. Not only are they so pretty with their bright yellow rings, but the taste is milder than the red variety. Here's a great soup that brings out their sweet, mellow flavor. It's so rich and creamy, you'd think there's cream in it! This recipe can easily be made vegan with oil instead of butter and by using vegetable broth. Give it a try and see if you still think beets taste like dirt! Golden Beet Soup Ingredients: 6 Tbl unsalted butter 4 1/2 cups chopped oni
