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zucchini

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What’s in season in August?

Can you believe it’s already August? Summer is in full swing as evident by all of the delicious fruits and vegetables — Hello fresh berries! Yet, we can’t help but notice the fall crops starting to creep in (We’re looking at you apples!). Despite our growing anxiety that summer is slipping away all-too-soon, it’s hard not to fall in love with August produce. So many fruits make it easy to satisfy your sweet tooth the healthy way. Plus, all of those zucchinis and tomatoes make dinner a breeze. So what should you be being in August? Take this list to the grocery store and pick up some of these in-season fruits and veggies: Apples Some apples are already hitting the shelves, but in just a week or two markets and stores will have bushels of the brand new crop. Enjoy as a snack, in a dessert, in a salad —…

Cheesy Zucchini Casserole makes perfect late summer side dish

At this point in the summer, you’re probably still picking lots of zucchini and squash from your garden. Or if you’re lucky, friends are trying to offload their extras. This zucchini casserole is a great way to use up all the zucchini and squash you have laying around. It might be the end of summer, but the warm weather means it’s still solidly squash season. This recipe is rich and creamy and made perfect by a melty blend of Gruyere and Parmesan cheese. You’ll love this as a late summer side dish. Cheesy Zucchini Casserole Ingredients 4 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick 1 half of a medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp butter 1/2 cup heavy cream 5 ounces Gruyere cheese, roughly shredded 3/4 cup fresh Parmesan, grated salt and pepper Directions Preheat oven to 450ºF. Grease an 8×8 inch casserole dish and set aside. In…

Zucchini Panini with corn and goat cheese

Ever since I got my panini maker I’ve been experimenting with all kinds of sandwich combinations. I’m convinced that pretty much everything tastes better inside a sandwich. But summer gives you an extra advantage — delicious, fresh produce. Not only is this zucchini panini fun to say out loud, but it’s loaded with fresh veggies and it’s so good for you. Stuff it full of whatever you have left from last week’s farmers market haul, and it will be that much more delicious. Add sliced tomatoes for the ultimate summer sandwich. Zucchini Panini with corn and goat cheese Ingredients 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tbsp minced garlic 1 small zucchini, halved and sliced lengthwise 1 ear corn, kernels removed salt pepper 6-8 slices of bakery bread (depending how much filling you like in your sandwiches) 2 tbsp garlic butter (or just butter is fine), softened 1/2 cup goat cheese…

Garlicky Greek yogurt Alfredo sauce

There are a few foods that are banished from every dieter’s personal menu — Alfredo sauce being one of them. The thick, creamy restaurant staple is usually loaded with butter, cream and cheese. While incredibly delicious, it can pack up to 900 calories in just one cup! Even if you’re not dieting, this deliciously simple substitute hits the spot when you’re craving a creamy pasta. It’s perfect with whole wheat noodles as a healthy weeknight meal, or on top of a protein for a more special occasion. It’s so easy to make and so much healthier for you, you’ll say “so long” to that old heavy cream sauce, and you’ll never look back! Garlicky Greek yogurt Alfredo sauce Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 3-4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 cup chicken broth (veggie works, too) 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used non-fat) 1/4 milk (I used skim milk but you can…

Creamy avocado pesto sauce with veggie noodles

Pasta never gets old. Just change the sauce and the veggies and you have an entirely different meal. This pasta and sauce combo puts a California twist on an old favorite — pesto. Avocado is so versatile. If you’ve only been using it as a breakfast food or burrito topping, you’ve been missing out. Its unbelievably creamy texture adds tons of flavor and it coats almost any type of noodle really well — Angel hair, farfalle, whole wheat rigatoni. Add in a few handfuls of basil and some nuts for texture, and you’ll have a seriously satisfying sauce and spread. I chose veggie noodles (sometimes called zoodles because of the zucchini) as my base to give this dish a truly West Coast kind of feel. You can make them with lots of different vegetables by using a spiralizer or by carefully and thinly slicing each vegetable with a knife. As a time saver, or if…

Tomato, zucchini, goat cheese and thyme tart recipe

Any recipe that uses up a good amount of veggies is a hit with me. I tend to go overboard at the farmers market — this time of year everything looks so delicious! — but it’s important not to let food go to waste. According to a Guardian report, roughly 50 percent of all produce in the United States is thrown away amounting to $1,600 in annual food waste for every family of four. With this staggering number in mind, I’ve made it a point recently to keep recipes on hand that use unusual vegetables, vegetables in bulk, or difficult herbs sometimes delivered in the CSA. Juices and stews are great for this task, but sometimes your veggies are just too darn pretty to hide. Tarts and galettes are a great option for showcasing those shiny vegetables, while also allowing plenty of space for layering and packing in leftover produce. You could easily throw in another layer of zucchini to…

Restaurant quality at home with roasted red pepper sauce pizza, pasta

It’s good for our tastebuds if we mix things up every so often. Try this roasted red pepper sauce on anything you would typically top with a tomato sauce for an instant, restaurant-worthy upgrade. It’s a unique flavor all on its own, and it will give new life to those dishes you’ve made dozens or even hundreds of times before. It looks like tomato sauce, but the creamy, fiery flavor will surely make you a fan. Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Ingredients 16 oz. jar of roasted red peppers 2 tbsp water 2.5 tbsp butter 3-4 cloves of garlic 1 tbsp dried basil 1 tbsp dried oregano 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) healthy dose of fresh cracked pepper 1/3 cup heavy cream (if using on pizza, use 1/4 or less) Directions Add peppers to blender along with 1-2 tbsp of extra liquid from the jar they came in. It’s a bit acidic, but can…