Have Zucchini - Will travel

One of the beautiful things about this time of the year is the Midwest's abundance of zucchini.  Aside from the many cartoons and jokes, even non-gardeners will find an occasional zucchini on their doorstep, workplace desk or vehicle.

I've raised zucchini from time to time and finally realized I needed to figure out what to do with the "extras".  I've made zucchini bread but seriously how many loaves of bread should one person eat!  I like it raw dunked in a flavorful dip but after eating one two-foot raw zucchini, I'm about done with that recipe.  My last and best measure for the extra was:

Wash the zucchini and wipe dry.  Cut off the ends and grate the rest.  You can grate with a hand grater or with your food processor.  I don't bother to peel and it doesn't hurt if you have to cut the zucchini into smaller chunks before it goes into the processor.  If it's a huge zucchini, you may want to cut out any tough seeds.  Once it's grated, take a couple of handfuls or measure out two cups, insert into a zip lock bag, roll to get out all the air and close.  Freeze.  I don't bother to cook prior to freezing because it makes it too watery for most recipes.    

Come winter, it makes a healthy addition to stews, soups, breads, casseroles, meat loaf or meatballs - let your imagination be your guide.  Because one of my kids was a finicky eater, I learned to grate many nutritious vegetables as a way to fool him into eating healthy.  Since zucchini doesn't have much taste, it's an excellent "fooler". 

Since one-cup of zucchini is 20 calories, it contains no fat and is rich in Vitamin C, it has no down side.  The Nutrition Facts are from the USDA.  

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup of chopped
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 2 Calories 20
% Daily Values*
Total Fat 0.22g		0%
	Saturated Fat 0.046g	0%
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.094g
	Monounsaturated Fat 0.017g
Cholesterol 0mg		0%
Sodium 12mg		0%
Potassium 325mg
Total Carbohydrate 4.15g		1%
	Dietary Fiber 1.4g	6%
	Sugars 2.15g
Protein 1.5g
Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 35%
Calcium 2% Iron 2%
*  Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The following recipe was copied from The Kosher Gourmet in an article by Joe Yonan.  Although it makes 4 servings, it could be decreased/increased for your needs.  The zucchini and pappardelle (you can substitute pieces of lasagna noodles for the pappardelle - broke into one inch pieces) are simply a backdrop to the lovely flavors of onions, garlic, basil and lemon.  You can also sub out the olive oil with sesame seed or walnut oils but stay away from corn oils as they are too heavy and increase the saturated fat.  

ZUCCHINI AND LEMON PAPPARDELLE WITH PINE NUTS

SERVINGS: 4; Healthy

Adapted from "15 Minute Vegan: Fast, Modern Cooking" by Katy Beskow (Quadrille, 2017)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed

• 8 ounces dried pappardelle

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

• 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 2 medium zucchini (12 ounces total), trimmed and coarsely grated

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed

• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (see NOTE)

• Handful fresh basil leaves

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pappardelle and cook according to the package directions, until al dente, then drain. 

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook until the onion starts to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and increase the heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, until the zucchini is tender but not mushy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the pepper.

Toss the cooked pappardelle into the pan with the zucchini to coat evenly. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, as needed.

Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and scatter the pine nuts and basil on top. 

NOTE: Toast the pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over a medium heat until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan a few times to avoid scorching. Let cool completely before serving or storing.

Nutrition | Per serving: 380 calories, 10 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates, 19 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 290 mg sodium, 4 g dietary fiber, 5 g sugar