Spinach Zucchini Bread

If you're starting to grow tired of all the sweet breads that use zucchini, then this savory spinach zucchini bread is just the thing.  It's a great breakfast bread, has no sugar, and is another great way to use your garden's bounty of zucchini.  You can even make this as muffins, freeze them, grab a quick one in the morning, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds, and head out the door with a delicious healthy choice.

You will need:
1 medium zucchini
1/2 teas. kosher salt
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teas. baking powder
1/2 teas. baking soda
2 eggs
1 teas white vinegar
1 cup milk
4 Tabs olive oil
1 bunch spinach
5 ounces Cheddar cheese, (coarsely grated)
3 green onions, (finely chopped)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Spray 2 smaller, (or 1 larger), bread loaf pans with baking spray.

Wash the spinach, remove the stems, and rough chop the leaves.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.  Quickly blanch the spinach for a couple of minutes.

Drain the spinach and squeeze out all the excess moisture.

Note:  You can also substitute ONE 10-ounce package of frozen spinach leaves, (thawed, the liquid squeezed out, and rough chopped).

Combine the vinegar and milk and let sit while the milk starts to curdle, (note: you can also substitute 1 cup of buttermilk).

Grate the zucchini, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Squeeze out the excess moisture.  You will need approximately 1 1/2 to 2 cups of zucchini after the moisture has been removed.

 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, the curdled milk, and olive oil.  Whisk together to incorporate well.

 Add to the flour mixture.

Add the green onions to the flour mixture.

Add the zucchini to the flour mixture.

Add the spinach to the flour mixture.

 Add the shredded Cheddar cheese to the flour mixture.

Fold the ingredients together, making sure not to over mix.

 Pour the mixture into the loaf pans, (or 12 sprayed muffin tins).

Bake for 23 to 27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on baking racks.

Once they have cooled for 5 minutes, you can remove them from the pan, and allow to cool on baking racks, until you can handle the bread loafs.

You can serve the bread warm, or room temperature.

Notice the light fluffy layers.  The wonderful spinach, cheddar cheese, and the zucchini.  This is not a dessert, sugary bread.  It is a wonderful savory bread.  Great for breakfast, or with a meal.

A little creamery butter on a slice of warm spinach zucchini bread taste heavenly.

So, gather up one of your zucchini and give this bread a try.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Cakes

Like most gardeners, my zucchini is coming on pretty strong right now.  And if you've been following my post - then you've already found my Chocolate Zucchini Bread, Chocolate and Spice Zucchini Cake, Zucchini Carrot Bread, Stuffed Baked Zucchini.  Another of our favorite ways to serve zucchini is to make zucchini cakes.  They are pretty much a vegetarian version of a crab cake.  My vegetarian grandson, (and the rest of my family), just love them.  They make a great side dish.  And you can either make them on the stove top, or in the oven.

You will need:
1 or 2 zucchini, (depending on the size)
1/2 teas salt
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
3 green onions
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 1/2 teas Old Bay seasoning
1 teas Dijon mustard
1 Tabs mayonnaise
1/8 teas red pepper flakes
2 Tabs vegetable oil
1 teas butter

Grate the zucchini into a colander, (you want about 3 cups of grated zucchini).  Sprinkle with the salt and let stand for 30 minutes, (to pull out the excess moisture).

While the zucchini is sitting, finely slice the green onions, (if the onions are large sized, you can use 2, rather than 3).

Finely chop the red bell pepper, (you want 1/4 cup).

After the zucchini has set for about 30 minutes, squeeze out the excess moisture.  You want the zucchini to be as dry as possible.

 Once you squeeze out the moisture, you will be left with about 2 cups of zucchini.  Place the dry zucchini in a medium bowl.

To the zucchini add:
the breadcrumbs, egg, sliced green onions, diced red pepper, Old Bay seasoning, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and red pepper flakes.   Mix well to incorporate everything.

Note:  I use my own homemade Old Bay seasoning.  Also, you can substitute plain yogurt for the mayonnaise.

Form the zucchini mixture into patties, (crab cake size).  You will get 4 to 6 depending on the size.

Place the patties on a baking sheet, and place in the refrigerator to chill and set up, (approximately 20 minutes).  I like to line my baking sheet with parchment paper for easier clean up. - but it not required.

 In a medium skillet, over medium heat melt the butter into the oil.  Add the zucchini patties and fry until golden brown.

Turn over and fry the second side, until golden brown.  And you now have delicious zucchini cakes ready to serve.

 These make a wonderful side dish with any meat.  I like to eat them plain.  My husband like to top his with a dill herb sauce.

Hmm - just a good as any crab cake.  It's the Old Bay that gives it that wonderful seafood flavor.

If you've got extra zucchini - give these a try.

Enjoy !

Greek Veggie Salad

Fresh vegetables will be appearing at farmer's markets, and on tables soon.  A good way to use them is in a fresh Greek style veggie salad.  My version is quick, easy, and doesn't require any cooking.  Plus the leftovers can be used in a Greek pasta salad.  Let me show you how I do it.

You will need:
5 Tabs. olive oil
1 lemon
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tabs. red wine vinegar
1/2 teas dried oregano
1 1 Tabs dried dill
2 or 3 medium tomatoes
1 medium red onion
1 medium or 2 small zucchini
1 medium cucumber
1/4 cup black olives
4 ounces feta cheese

Wash and chop the zucchini.

Wash and chop the tomatoes.

 Wash and chop the cucumber.

Peel and chop the red onion.

Chop the black olives.

In a large bowl, combine all the vegetables, and mix together.

In a small bowl, add the olive oil, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, and dried dill.

From the lemon, squeeze 2 Tablespoons of juice into the oil mixture.

Whisk together well.

Pour the dressing over the veggies, and mix together well to incorporate the dressing over all the vegetables.

Just before serving, crumble the feta cheese over the salad.

And you have a wonderful, cold, raw, Greek style veggie salad.

The feta cheese adds just the right amount of saltiness, and the dressing add enough seasoning and herbs to freshen up the vegetables.  This salad goes well with fish and chicken.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in a covered dish.

I use my leftovers to make a Greek style pasta salad.

I have 2 cups of cooked noodles, (you want a noodle that has some kind of ridge that will catch the dressing), and about 2 cups of the veggie salad.

In a large bowl, mix the noodles and the veggie salad together, (make sure to also add any dressing that may have accumulated at the bottom of the veggie salad bowl).  And you now have a pasta salad.

This is a good to take to a picnic or a B-B-Q.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in a covered dish.

This will make a complete meal for me.  You can also pair this with fish or chicken to round out your meal.

Give my Greek style veggie salad, and the pasta salad a try.

Enjoy !

Zucchini & Corn Salad

One of my husband's co-workers sent home this extra large zucchini, thinking that bigger was better.  My husband tried to explain to him that picking them when they were about 12 inches long were the best, he brought it home anyways, thinking I could fix something with it.  I decided to remove the seeds, use half for my zucchini carrot bread and half for my zucchini & corn salad.  This is a great salad for a summer evening meal.  It easily feeds 4 to 6 people.  If you have 2 ears of fresh corn it's even better, but frozen corn will also work, (I had already put my summer corn in the freezer, so I had to make do).

You will need:
1 large zucchini, (about 12 inches long)
2 cups, (or 2 ears) or corn
1/2 of a large, or 2 small red onions
salt and pepper to season the corn
1/2 teas apple cider vinegar
1 Tabs olive oil
1 lime
1/2 teas chili powder
1/4 teas salt
1/2 teas pepper
1 teas garlic pepper
1 teas honey
1 small handful of crumbled Queso Fresco cheese

First I made my vinaigrette:

In a small bowl add 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar.

Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil

Add the zest from 1 lime

Add the juice from 1 lime

Add 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Add 1/4 teaspoon salt

Add 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Add 1 teaspoon honey

Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Whisk together well - set aside.

Cut the zucchini into thin match stick sizes, or use a spiral cutter and cut zucchini noodles, (which I do when my zucchini is smaller sized).

Dice the red onion

Measure out the 2 cups of corn, (make sure it doesn't have any water in it.)

NOTE: If you are using fresh corn, pull back the husks, remove the silk, spray the corn with cooking spray, salt and pepper, and grill the corn until just slightly charred.  When the corn has cooled, cut the corn from the husk and let cool, then skip down to where you add it to the bowl.

In a large heavy pan, add about 1 teaspoon of olive oil, (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.)

When the oil is hot, add the corn and roast the corn slightly.  This is why you need the corn to be dry.

Remember to stir the corn, so it doesn't burn and stick to the bottom of the pan.

Notice how the sugar in the corn has started to caramelize and it's getting brown around the edges?  That's very good!  Remove the corn from the pan and let it cool.

While the corn is cooking, add the zucchini, onions and a small handful of crumbled cheese to a medium bowl.

Once the corn has cooled, add the corn to the bowl.

Now add the vinaigrette, and give everything a good stir.  And you're ready to serve.  Give the salad one last taste for seasoning.  Does it need more salt or pepper?

Notice how the lime plays off the slight heat from the chili pepper and the sweetness from the corn tames down the heat.  It's the right blend of flavors.

Tonight I'm serving my zucchini and corn salad with an herb grilled chicken.  It's a good summer dinner.

Enjoy !