INCREDIBLY SIMPLE ZUCCHINI ROUNDS

I don’t know if I am embarrassed or thrilled. Embarrassed because this is truly SO simple that it hardly qualifies as a “recipe”. But thrilled at the same time because it totally blew my expectations. So simple, so tasty. Even next day, and you know how much I go crazy for leftovers.


BAKED ZUCCHINI TOMATO STACKS
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
olive oil
salt and pepper
Fresh tomatoes, sliced (about the same diameter as the zucchini)
grated mozzarella cheese
Herbes de Provence to taste

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lay one slice of zucchini, brush both sides with olive oil, season with a little salt and Herbes de Provence.

Place a slice of tomato on top, season with a little salt. Add shredded mozzarella on top of the tomato.

Bake at 400F for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was such a delicious side dish, I just know I will be making it again and again. Leftovers were perfect warmed up in a hot oven for just a few minutes. Zucchini tends to get a bit mushy, but for some reason, with the tomato and the cheese on top, it all works well. Give this recipe a try, I believe you will love it too…

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ZUCCHINI FRITTATA

I might be on a roll concerning special gadgets. Case in point, I have a pan that is designed to make Tarte Tatin (!!!), but today I am incredibly proud to show you how to use it to make a nice frittata. Do you need that pan? No. But are you going to be the coolest cook in town if you use it? YES, YOU ARE.

ZUCCHINI FRITTATA
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

2 Tbsp. olive oil or unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
2 medium zucchini, sliced and each slice quartered
4 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
4-6 pieces of fresh mozzarella
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Herbes de Provence
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Place rack in middle of oven; heat oven to 350°. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil or unsalted butter in an oven-proof skillet. Add the shallots and zucchini, sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the large eggs in a medium bowl with the milk, salt, pepper and spices mix.

Pour egg mixture into the skillet. Add the pieces of mozzarella. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until edges pull away from sides of pan, about 5 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until set, 10–15 minutes. Serve immediately or at room temperature within an hour or so.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: You can flip the frittata off the pan and serve it with the brown side up, or cut it straight in the pan, anything works. It turned out creamy, light and fluffy. The pan makes it a breeze to invert and flip the frittata onto a serving plate. We will be enjoying this type of meal in many variations on a regular basis… Mushrooms, red bell peppers, maybe even some smoked salmon in the mix.

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KALYN’S SAVORY ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

I’ve been following food bloggers for a very long time. Many stopped blogging, but a few of my favorites still hang on over many years. Kalyn is one blogger who passed the 15-year mark (a milestone I am going to hit in a few weeks…). For the most part she focuses on low-carb recipes and everything I cooked from her blog has been delicious. No lack of flavor, no odd textures. Back in 2022 she shared a recipe for zucchini muffins and I finally made them. They delivered all that she promised. No matter your take on amount of carbs, these are great. The almond flour makes them moist and quite tender. I made a few minor changes from her published version.


FLOURLESS SAVORY ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
(from Kalyn’s Kitchen)

1 small zucchini
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
salt and black pepper to taste
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
8 eggs, well beaten
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
2 T baking powder


Heat oven to 375F.

Cut stem and blossom end off zucchini, then cut in fourths lengthwise. Then on each piece, trim off and discard part of the white center part of zucchini, so you have zucchini strips with skin and about 1/4 inch of white. Cut those pieces into thinner strips, then dice to make small cubes around 1/4 inch square. You will have about 1 + 1/2 cups diced zucchini. Heat olive oil in non-stick frying pan and cook zucchini seasoned with the Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper until it’s softening and just starting to brown, about 3 minutes.

Put cottage cheese in a fine strainer placed in the sink and rinse with cold water, then let it drain well.
Beat the eggs until yolks and whites are well-combined.

In a bowl combine the cooked zucchini, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese and beaten eggs.
In a smaller bowl mix almond flour, flax seed meal and baking powder.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, adding only part at a time and stirring each time until the mixture is combined. Fill muffin cups, dividing the mixture evenly among 9 muffins cups. Bake about 27 minutes, or until muffins are firm and slightly browned.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I omitted feta cheese because I did not have any. I made bigger muffins and instead of twelve I ended up with nine. These jumbo silicone liners are absolutely great! If you don’t have a jumbo muffin pan, they will still stand upright on a regular baking sheet. You can find a link to get them in Kalyn’s blog, I’ve had mine for a while. Love the colors also, as you might imagine…

They would be pretty nice with chunks of feta in the crumb, so consider adding that. The crumb is very delicate and they are perfect for a light lunch. The muffins freeze well, you can microwave them for 1 minute, and enjoy good as fresh.

Kalyn, thank you for yet another great low-carb recipe!

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FETA EGGS WITH ZUCCHINI

Please don’t judge this recipe by its looks, it would be unfair because it is delicious and so very simple! I eat a lot of eggs, my lunch is often a scrambled egg wrapped in a tortilla, or some type of omelette made by the husband, who is a pro at those. I am always searching for new ways to enjoy my favorite lunch item, and this is my newest obsession.

FETA EGGS WITH ZUCCHINI
(slightly modified from Skinnytaste)

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup grated zucchini, squeezed dry
Chili crisp hot sauce, any amount you like (I used this one)
2 large eggs
1 ounce feta cheese
ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste


In a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil and add the chili crisp sauce and zucchini, sautee on medium heat until the zucchini gets soft and starts to get some color. Add the feta cheese evenly over the zucchini and cook until it starts to melt a bit.

Carefully drop in the eggs, season with salt and pepper and cover. Cook on low until the yolks are runny and set, or cooked to your liking. Use a silicone spatula to transfer the eggs to your plate.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here


Comments: I have made it with other cheeses (Cotija and goat cheese), and they all work great. It is such a nice way to enjoy eggs, a slice of sourdough is the perfect way to deliver it to your mouth, but if you want to keep the carb index low, just enjoy the layer of zucchini to give it texture. It gets all crispy and cheesy underneath the egg, giving it that bit of texture that the fried egg by itself lacks. If you don’t have the chili crisp sauce, just use red pepper flakes.


If you love eggs, try this preparation. I imagine it could work well with finely grated carrots, or even some shredded cabbage in place of the zucchini. Worth playing with!

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ZUCCHINI CARPACCIO

I adore zucchini and in this preparation it really shines! I strongly advise you to cut it with a mandolin, because paper thin is a must. You won’t have the same beautiful effect of that noodle appearance unless you really slice it super thin. Come to think of it, a veggie peeler might work also!

ZUCCHINI CARPACCIO
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

2 medium zucchini, cut very thin lengthwise
juice of ½ lemon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
roasted peanuts
Herbes de Provence
drizzle of agave nectar

Sprinkle the ribbons of zucchini with salt, place in a colander for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain and dry on paper towels. Add to a large serving bowl and squeeze lemon juice all over the slices. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes, this will soften the veggie a bit. When it is time to serve, drizzle olive oil, season with Herbes de Provence, and spread peanuts on top. Finally, a drizzle of agave nectar for a little contrast of flavor.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: It is not very hard for me to praise my favorite squash, but I believe most people will appreciate the texture and freshness of this preparation. Other nuts can work too, the most important step is allowing the lemon juice to do its job. Use a nice olive oil with enough flavor and you are all set!

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