Tag Archives: zucchini

Vegetarian Zucchini, Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas

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Mention “enchiladas” and I know that I will enjoy the dish. I found a recipe for a healthy vegetarian adaptation of traditional meat enchiladas which uses zucchini, black beans and cheese as the main ingredients. Corn tortillas add flavor, too, making this casserole quite delicious. The recipe lowers the fat content by using canned, drained black beans rather than refried beans and steamed corn tortillas rather than fried tortillas. The recipe also features zucchini and corn which add flavor, low calorie content and nutritional value. I’ve really learned to enjoy Mexican dishes as restaurants featuring Central American cuisine have become more prevalent in our region. Yum, this vegetarian recipe adaption of enchiladas is a keeper and is a good way to enjoy a “plant-based” meal.

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Zucchini Lasagna

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This might be my best zucchini recipe of the summer, “Zucchini Lasagna.” When I queried my family on suggestions for using the giant, one-pound zucchini growing in my backyard garden, my son mentioned this recipe. And it is wonderful! Thin slices of the huge zucchini replace the lasagna noodles. Layer on a rich tomato sauce with the zucchini slices and mozzarella cheese and the result is a vegetarian “meal-in-one.” Plus, a layer of ricotta cheese, eggs and Parmesan cheese add a creamy filling — sort of a “surprise” in the recipe. 

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Marinated Zucchini, Black Bean and Tomato Salad

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My backyard garden is doing great this year. The star performers are my zucchini plants. I have an abundance of this vegetable and I’ve tried out a number of recipes. This quick and easy summer salsa is a tasty way to serve zucchini. No cooking is involved — just slice and dice, combine the ingredients and marinate. The raw zucchini has a mild flavor and blends well in this dish. It’s a very healthy recipe and good way to include vegetables in meals. Continue reading →

Stuffed Zucchini with Homemade Pasta Sauce

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Summer is a great time of the year to load up meals with fresh, seasonal vegetables such as zucchini and yellow squash. The quality of fresh picked vegetables is excellent and the price is usually inexpensive. But what if you don’t like summer squash? In searching for ideas to use a huge zucchini growing in my garden, I found a recipe which is absolutely delicious. Zucchini is a mild flavored squash and this recipe tones the flavor down even further by stuffing the zucchini with a meat mixture and topping it with pasta sauce. It is a good way to learn to like a new food and is the best recipe I’ve found in a long time.

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Eating Responsibly: The “More-with-Less Cookbook”

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Back in the 1980’s, I was given a copy of the “More-with-Less Cookbook”. As I read  the cookbook’s preface, a light-bulb flashed. It was my introduction to eating responsibly to conserve our planet’s limited food resources. And years later, the message is still relevant. The recipes are good ones, too. I became curious to learn if other folks use the cookbook and discovered that this well-traveled cookbook is the “go to” recipe book for many families. A good cookbook never hides on the shelf.Caroline with cookbook IMG_1711 - cropped x 2 Continue reading →

Easy Homemade: Lasagna with Zucchini and Eggplant

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Lasagna is one of our family favorites. Making lasagna from scratch just got much easier using some of the shredded cheeses and prepared pasta sauces now available in grocery stores. Today I added the zucchini and eggplant from my Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) basket to the lasagna. Not to brag, but this casserole turned out really well! It is a great way to use fresh vegetables which ripen in the summer and increase vegetables in meals.Easy Homemade Lasagna - 3 - IMG_9688_1 Continue reading →

California Banana Zucchini Bread

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Homemade gifts for the holidays are special. I appreciate the time and thought that goes into making something unique. Here’s a recipe for a dessert bread from my relatives in California which is moist and flavorful. It uses fresh zucchini from their garden, as well as bananas, dates and nuts. It is a good recipe to make in small loaves for gifts and some extra for the family, too!California Banana Zucchini Bread - 2 - 20151126_090535 (3)

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Two Summer Squash and Basil Recipes

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Eat your vegetables. Never thought that this could include summer squash — squash was not a favorite vegetable when I was young. But over the years, I’ve discovered some tasty ways to prepare this vegetable. I have a plentiful supply of basil and summer squash growing in my garden and found two very similar recipes which include these two ingredients — one is sweet; the other sour.Summer Squash and Basil Medley - Aug -15 - IMG_4677

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Galen’s Spaghetti Sauce with Garden Fresh Vegetables

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Eat your vegetables! We heard this when growing up and it’s just as important as we get older. This homemade spaghetti sauce recipe is full of garden fresh vegetables–eggplant, squash, bell peppers, tomatoes. It’s a good way to incorporate some of summer’s produce into a meal.Spaghetti Sauce - IMG_4146_1

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Summer Squash: The Zucchini That Got Away

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Does summer squash grow in a Louisiana garden? Yes, I planted several varieties of squash this spring. In the morning we go out to the garden, eager to see what is there. Kind of a treasure hunt; it’s exciting to find a new vegetable growing. The squash hide under the big leaves, you’ve got to look hard from several angles to see them. One zucchini got away.

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