Ack! More Zucchini!

Mostly just re-posting some recipes I've come across, but I also wanted to mention 2 especially good zucchini recipes I made and consumed heavily over the past week. And I stress heavily. Neither was particularly diet-like, although the first was "reduced fat":

Start with: My mom's zucchini bread recipe.
Modifications:

• Make at least 1/2 the flour whole wheat flour
• Sub out 1/2 the oil and replace with unsweetened applesauce
• cut down sugar to make up for natural sugar in applesauce
• add pinch of nutmeg
• add chopped dried cherries
• add chocolate chips

I made one with and one without those last two modifications. After tasting the one with the cherries and chips, no one wanted the other one anymore.

Next,

Start with: This recipe for Spinach, Artichoke, & Pesto Lasagna
Realize: missing and unable to purchase several ingredients like the tofu!
Sub: basically, the entire recipe. Decide against using artichokes since you can sneak in some zucchini instead!
Use:

• no-cook lasagna noodles
• jarred Alfredo sauce
• ricotta (prepared as on lasagna box but with 2 eggs instead of one, and pesto mixed in)
• sliced squash, cooked on a greased baking sheet at 350 and flipped halfway through
• sauteed (and drained) onions, mushrooms, and spinach
• mozzarella and parmesan
• chopped roasted red peppers
  

This is a visual representation of the lasagna layers...

snipped basil

drizzle alfredo

low-carb bread crumbs (sparse)
mozzarella & parmesan
noodles
roasted peppers
veggies
ricotta
noodles
drizzle alfredo
roasted peppers
mozzarella (sparse)
veggies
ricotta
noodles
drizzle alfredo
roasted peppers
mozzarella (sparse)
veggies
ricotta
noodles
low-carb bread crumbs (decent amount)
alfredo
pan


Edited to add the recipes I forgot to repost:



Cheesy Zucchini with Garlic and Parsley
from Kalyn's Kitchen]





"Creamed Zucchini" (using non-dairy creamer) from Kalyn's Kitchen

8 cups fresh zucchini, diced in 2" pieces
(or use half zucchini and half yellow summer squash)
1/4 cup powdered coffee creamer
(Coffee-Mate brand preferred)
1/4 stick butter (or less)
salt or Veg-sal to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Put diced zucchini in large pan and cover with water. Cook at low boil until zucchini is very fork-tender, but not mushy, about 8-10 minutes. Drain zucchini in colander for 3-4 minutes, then put back in pan you cooked it in. Add butter, then mash zucchini a few times with a potato masher (just enough to release water and break it into chunks, but not enough to get a completely mashed consistency). Put in coffee creamer and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper, stir a few times, then turn heat back on and cook zucchini about 3 minutes more, until all coffee creamer is dissolved and dish is piping hot. Serve immediately.

If you make this with 1/4 stick of butter, this would have to be a "once in a while" treat for the South Beach Diet. However, made without butter, or with less butter, you could enjoy this more often. It's very tasty made with no butter at all, and the one-fourth cup of coffee creamer has 6 grams of fat and 12 carbs.



Zucchini Carpaccio
from the Paupered Chef







Green Zucchini Salad with Crumbled Feta (from May/June issue of "Vegetarian Times"
serves 6
Fresh mint, feta cheese and zucchini are a favorite summer salad combination in small tavernas throughout the Greek Isles. For a more colorful salad, use one zucchini and one yellow squash.

3 Tb. lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. olive oil (we used about half that amount for SMAO purposes)
2 medium zucchini, peeled into thin ribbons (about 4 cups)
1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
2 green onions, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 Tb. chopped fresh mint
1 Tb. chopped fresh parsley

Whisk together first three ingredients, then gradually whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add zucchini and onion and toss to coat. Cover and marinate overnight or up to 2 days. Sprinkle with feta, green onions, mint, and parsley just before serving.

Per serving:
149 cals
3g protein
12g total fat
9g carbs
2g fiber
5g sugars