If there is one crop that is super easy to grow and will produce an abundant harvest, it is zucchini. I have been getting one to three zucchinis in my local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box each of the last three weeks.
Zucchinis are a member of the summer squash family. Summer squash are much more delicate and cannot be stored for long periods like winter squash. So that means I need to be creative with all this zucchini.
Zucchinis are a great summer-time food as they are about 80% water, great for hydration in the summer heat. They provide a fair amount of potassium, carotenes, and vitamin C. The carotenes can help protect against the damaging effects of the sun. They are also low calorie and high fiber, no cholesterol or unhealthy fats. Most of the antioxidants and fiber are in the skin so it is best to keep the skin on when serving.
Fun Facts
Zucchini has more potassium than a banana.
Largest zucchini grown: 7 feet, 10 inches and weighed 64 pounds, 8 ounces. That would be a lot of zucchini to use!
Zucchinifest held in Obetz, Ohio is quite the event. The 2018 event is being held August 31-Sept 3. If you really love zucchini, this is a pretty big event; this year’s (2018) festival will include rides, entertainment, food, pageants, a cruise-in and motorcycle show, and a parade. Here is the link to the Zucchinifest if you want to check it out.
Ways To Use Zucchini
Grated zucchini can be added to sauces, eggs, stir frys, and lean ground meat (meatballs, burgers, or meatloaf). This works great because it adds some moisture to the lean meats and ups our vegetable consumption.
Zucchini can be eaten raw served with dips or added to salads.
Zoodles (noodles made from zucchini) can replace pasta in many dishes.
Zucchini can be added to muffin or quick-bread recipes by decreasing the amount of liquid in the recipe by one third to compensate for the moisture in the zucchini.
How To Select And Store
Look for squash that are heavy for their size and have shiny, unblemished skin. It is best to purchase average sized zucchini. If too large, it will be fibrous, and if too small, it will have inferior flavor.
Zucchini is very fragile and should be handled with care, even small punctures can lead to decay.
Store unwashed zucchini in the crisper for up to 7 days. Wash under cold water before using.
Zucchini can be frozen but this can be tricky to avoid a soggy mess when thawing. I clean the zucchini, grate it, and let it rest on paper towel for 10 to 15 minutes so some of the moisture is removed. I then line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, spread the grated zucchini on the paper, and place in the freezer for about an hour. Once frozen, the grated zucchini can be put in a freezer Ziploc bag for up to 6 months. I like this method as I can take out a small amount from the bag to use in my recipes, while the rest can stay frozen.
Recipes
Here are some recipes you can try that use zucchini.
Gluten-free Zucchini Noodles with Marinara
What is your favorite recipe for zucchini? If you have a favorite recipe you would like to share, you can leave a link to the recipe in the comments.
I hope you enjoyed this post and have found some new uses for this summer-time produce.
Be blessed,
Heather
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