Showing posts with label zucchini. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zucchini. Show all posts
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Creamy Penne Pasta Bake with Zucchini
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| A light and creamy pasta bake recipe for Spring. |
Mac and cheese gets a makeover. Just in time for swimsuit shopping
(also affectionately known around here as the annual Parade of Shame). It's time to start cooking light again, and give your body a break from all that white rice pasta, butter, and double cheese. It's time to kiss bacon good-bye. Hot weather is coming, Babycakes. The beach and poolside beckon. And I am not prepared. Are you?I've been lax with my downward facing dogs (actually, I'm forbidden to do downward facing dogs these days, but that's another story). My lumbo-pelvic complex is cranky. My core is catnapping. And my biceps need curling. Or something like that. What it basically means is I've got some flab I need to banish. Remember that roll around my middle I call Doris? She's still here. She has not skedaddled. My usual winter weight gain of five hibernation pounds is eight this year.
I could blame those Raspberry Coconut-Almond Bars my husband keeps making (he who can eat cookies and brownies and still sport flat abs). I could blame fructan and fructose, and various unfriendly members of FODMAPs who may be the bottom line bloat culprit in my ongoing emulation of my halcyon pregnancy days (those of you with IBS symptoms despite going gluten-free might want to look into this fructose and polyol thing- it appears to have some merit).
But mostly I blame how much time I spend on the iMac. Sitting. Typing. Sitting some more. Social networking. The Internet is an amazing gift. But it is damn hard on the body. I'm vowing to get up and move more frequently. Shake my booty. Feel the burn. Or at least feel some heat.
So just in case you're in the same mood, too. I've made a lighter version of the classic baked mac and cheese.
I used gluten-free brown rice penne with rice bran for the pasta. Organic soy milk and Smart Balance vegan "butter" for the cream sauce. Zucchini and garlic and chives for a flavor boost. And it was fab. Light. Creamy. Perfect for Spring.
Read more + get the recipe >>
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Pesto Zucchini Tomato Gratin
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| Zucchini tomato gratin. Summer garden deliciousness. |
Today's post is short and sweet. Or should I say, brief and savory. Are you experiencing an abundance of zucchini and tomatoes? Here is a favorite summer recipe updated from the archives- a basil and garlic laced gratin featuring sliced zucchini, artichoke hearts and fresh tomatoes. Use your favorite gluten-free crumbs on top (my current favorite crumbs for a crunchy golden topping are these cornbread crumbs).
Serve it as a delicious side dish with grilled chicken, fish or grass fed beef. Vegetarian? Spoon it on top of pesto penne pasta.
Read more + get the recipe >>
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Zucchini Mousakka with Garbanzo Beans Nohutlu Kabak Musakka
There is something special about musakka recipes; they always turn out great. Although musakka, the term Arabic in origin, does not resemble the Arabic dish which is a kind of cold eggplant appetizer; although musakka means a different dish in a lot of countries such as Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Turkey; and although the musakka dish has numerous versions even in one country, a musakka dish is always delicious. In Turkish cuisine musakka is usually prepared with fried eggplant, tomato, peppers, and ground meat.
This zucchini musakka recipe comes from Musa Dağdeviren, the owner and chef of Çiya Restaurant in İstanbul. I had also tried his mualle recipe before. As you can see it is not a traditional recipe; it uses garbanzo beans. To make it even less traditional, I replaced ground meat with TVP and it is delicious. If you want to try it with ground lamb, you can find the original recipe here.
4 medium zucchinis, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup TVP
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 tomatoes, diced or 1 can of petite diced tomato
1 cup of canned garbanzo beans
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tbsp red pepper paste or chile sauce
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint or 1 tbsp dried mint flakes
salt
ground pepper
-Prepare a bowl of salty water and soak sliced zucchini for half an hour.
-Soak 1/2 cup of TVP with almost 1/2 cup of boiling hot water.
-Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a broad deep pan.
-Add garlic and onion, cook for approximately 5 minutes.
-Stir in TVP and cook for 3 minutes.
-Add tomato paste and pepper paste (or chile sauce). Let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
-Stir in diced tomato. Cook for 5 minutes.
-Add zucchini slices. Cook on medium heat, stirring, until tender.
-Stir in garbanzo beans. Cook for a couple of minutes.
-Season with salt and pepper. Transfer zucchini musakka into a bowl. Sprinkle with mint and parsley.
-Musakkas are always good with white rice and yogurt.
Although there are many variations on musakka recipe, one thing that cannot be changed or omitted is parsley. This recipe is my contribution to Kalyns Weekend Herb Blogging which is hosted by Jugalbandi this week.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Zucchini Hummous
This is a ridiculously simple and tasty little thing to do with zucchini. I first heard about it 3 years ago when my mother made it, and I declared I would do it myself too, soon. Well, soon is a relative term, I guess. Weve been struggling to getting our zucchini plants to produce, which is a laughable problem given their reputation. However, I managed to round up enough this week to give it a go. It does taste a little lighter than regular hummous, but is otherwise surprisingly similar. Just the thing for a light summer meal.
about 2 cups - 4 servings
20 minutes prep time
1 medium zucchini (2 cups diced)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
1 small clove garlic
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin seed, ground
a sprinkle of paprika, a grind of black pepper
Wash and trim the zucchini, and cut it into dice. Put it in a blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients and purée until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary. Give it a taste and adjust the flavours if you think it needs more of anything. (Less? Sorry; too bad.)
Remove to a serving dish and let rest for 30 minutes or so to allow the flavours to blend. Serve with crackers or crudités. I dont know how well this keeps; the issue has never arisen.
Read More..
about 2 cups - 4 servings
20 minutes prep time
1 medium zucchini (2 cups diced)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
1 small clove garlic
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin seed, ground
a sprinkle of paprika, a grind of black pepper
Wash and trim the zucchini, and cut it into dice. Put it in a blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients and purée until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary. Give it a taste and adjust the flavours if you think it needs more of anything. (Less? Sorry; too bad.)
Remove to a serving dish and let rest for 30 minutes or so to allow the flavours to blend. Serve with crackers or crudités. I dont know how well this keeps; the issue has never arisen.
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