zucchini Archives -

August 5, 2015

Chocolate Zucchini Coconut Oil Muffins

Things are looking a little different around here today, thanks to the talented Erin and Melissa of Wooden Spoons Kitchen. I am so thankful for them and the opportunity to work with them. They made me feel like more than just another client- they truly cared, they listened, they took time to get to know me, and they patiently worked to develop a design and site which personally reflects me. I could not speak more highly of them and their work. Thank you, Erin and Melissa.

Today I’m celebrating the new site design with these chocolate zucchini muffins. We are right about at the peak of summer squash season and whenever I have more zucchini than I can handle, I’ve been making these muffins. I’m not going to tell you how many batches of these I’ve already made, but I will say that we eat these for breakfast, snacks, and dessert. A combination of whole wheat pastry flour and spelt flour keeps the texture light, they are lightly sweetened with coconut sugar, and the sweet aroma of coconut oil is a nice complement to the chocolate. Studded throughout are pieces of dark chocolate that become melty and oozy when you enjoy them warm. Having loads of shredded zucchini in these muffins qualifies them as healthy enough for breakfast, don’t you think? And adding a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top makes it a most delicious dessert.

July 1, 2015

Curried Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini and Toasted Curry Lime Pepitas

Our family just returned home from spending a beautiful four days at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. We are exhausted, but have full hearts. We made new friends, went on peaceful walks, relaxed by campfires, and our kids were able to experience music and art in new and inspiring ways. It was a refreshing break from tv, computers, and the internet. Camp food was… well, camp food, and after four days, I was ready to get back to whole grains and fresh produce. I told Ryan that as soon as we were home again I was going to make a big quinoa salad, and I think he thought I was joking, but no, this was the first thing I made after we returned home. It was just what I needed and hit the spot. This dish is healthfully seasoned with curry, cumin, turmeric, and smoked paprika, has plenty of green from the grilled zucchini, grilled scallions, and parsley, and is generously garnished with crunchy toasted curry lime pepitas. Toasting the pepitas on the stove with some curry and lime zest only takes a few extra minutes and it makes all the difference. This can be served warm or at room temperature, but if making ahead of time, keep the pepitas stored separately until ready to serve so they don’t lose their crunch.

Curried Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini and Toasted Curry Lime Pepitas

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Curried Quinoa

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon curry, divided
¾ teaspoon cumin, divided
¾ teaspoon turmeric, divided
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
¾ pound zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini), trimmed and quarter lengthwise
1 bunch scallions (about 6 scallions)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Toasted Curry Lime Pepitas

1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon muscovado sugar
¾ teaspoon curry
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
zest from 1 lime

Instructions

Curried Quinoa

In a small sauce pan, combine quinoa, salt, ¾ teaspoon curry, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon paprika, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until water is absorbed, about 15-17 minutes. Set aside.
Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place zucchini and scallions on a large plate or tray. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoons of curry, cumin, turmeric, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Use hands to evenly coat vegetables.
Grill zucchini 5-6 minutes, rotating after a few minutes, until tender and browned. Grill scallions 2-4 minutes, until slightly wilted and browned. Chop zucchini crosswise into small chunks and thinly slice the scallions.
In a large bowl, combine quinoa, zucchini, scallions, and parsley. Gently toss together and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve with a generous sprinkle of toasted curry lime pepitas.

Toasted Curry Lime Pepitas

In a small bowl, mix together the muscovado sugar, curry, lime zest, and salt.
In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the pepitass with olive oil until they start to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle the curry lime mixture over the seeds and stir constantly until seeds are evenly coated and sugar is melted, about 1-2 additional minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Season to taste with additional salt if needed.

Notes

inspired by Bon Appetit

June 24, 2015

Roasted Vegetable Turkey Meatloaf

Retro tv dinners come to mind when I think of meatloaf, probably because I didn’t grow up eating it and my preconceptions primarily come from passing through the frozen food aisle at the store. It took me some time to come around on meatloaf, but after I saw this recipe, it suddenly became appealing and worth giving a try. In the updated version here, classic meatloaf gets a lightened up summer spin with turkey and an abundance of colorful roasted summer vegetables and fresh basil. This does require turning on the oven, but it’s great when you need a make-ahead meal since everything can be assembled earlier and then simply baked in the oven before serving. Grilling is great in the summer, but it also requires someone actively being at the grill right before the meal is served. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to work ahead of time, put on the oven timer, and forget about it until the timer goes off. If I’m having guests over, meals like these make mingling so much easier. This recipe makes more roasted vegetables than needed for the meatloaf. I like having the extra veggies to serve alongside the meatloaf, but cut the vegetables in half if you only want enough for the meatloaf. Mustard mashed potatoes make a wonderful accompaniment as well.

Roasted Vegetable Turkey Meatloaf

Serves: 6

Ingredients

3 small zucchini, diced
3 red bell peppers, diced
2 medium red onions, diced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
2 pounds ground turkey thigh
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1½ cups whole wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¾ cup ketchup, divided
2 large eggs
¼ cup white wine

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425. In a medium bowl, toss together the zucchini, peppers, and onions with olive oil and 1 tablespoon of rosemary. Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables until tender, about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 375. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix together turkey, mozzarella, panko, basil, thyme, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, crushed red pepper, remaining 1 tablespoon rosemary, and 1 cup roasted vegetables.
In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup ketchup, eggs, and wine. Add to turkey mixture and mix again to incorporate. (It may be easier to use hands to mix together.)
Transfer mixture to a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Use the back of a rubber spatula to smooth and form a rounded top. Spread remaining ¼ cup ketchup evenly over the top of loaf.
Bake until cooked through and top is lightly browned, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and allow meatloaf to rest 20 minutes before slicing. Serve with warmed roasted vegetables and mustard mashed potatoes.

Notes

adapted from Bon Appetit

Mustard Mashed Potatoes

Serves: 6 side portions

Ingredients

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup (or more) whole milk
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large pot, cover potatoes in lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat and simmer potatoes for 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are soft when a knife pierces through. Drain potatoes and return them to the pot.
Roughly mash the potatoes with a potato masher or pastry blender. (I leave the skins on for a more rustic feel, but peel potatoes if desired.) Add ¾ cup milk, butter, mustard, salt, and pepper and continue to mash until you reach desired consistency. Add more milk a couple tablespoons at a time if necessary.

Notes

slightly adapted from Bon Appetit