SANDPOINT, Idaho — It’s summertime and the zucchini are living large. Figuring out what to do with all that squash can be overwhelming. Susan Daffron of Logical Expressions, Inc. offers a few tips on using those “killer zucchini,” inspired by her book “Vegan Success: Scrumptious, Healthy Vegan Recipes for Busy People” (ISBN: 978-0-9749245-1-9; LCCN-2006907834).
Because zucchini are easy to grow and prolific, they are staples of gardeners, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, and farmer’s markets. Organic farmer Diane Green of Greentree Naturals says, “The squash are so prolific that we harvest twice a day during peak production, which averages 3-5 pounds per day or somewhere around 480 pounds of summer squash in a season.”
Here are Susan Daffron’s suggestions for using zucchini or other summer squash.
1. Slice medium zukes into rounds and saute them with oil, onions, and a little soy sauce. Toss in fresh basil and tomato for the last couple minutes and serve over cooked pasta.
2. Grate some zucchini into soups or casseroles. Or use grated squash to make zucchini bread. (The Vegan Success web site at www.VeganSuccess.com has a moist, decadent recipe for chocolate zucchini bread.)
3. If you end up with a “mega squash,” either bake it stuffed with breadcrumbs, or slice it lengthwise into slabs, brush it with oil and grill it.
4. To keep production under control, harvest squash when they are small. “Baby” zukes (called courgettes) and small squash are often featured in expensive restaurants because they are more flavorful.
5. Slice medium zucchini into rounds, dip them in milk (or soy milk) and then in breadcrumbs to coat. Fry them in oil for your own lighter version of deep-fried zucchini.
Daffron has one more suggestion, “If you are out in your garden and find one of those accidental huge killer zukes hiding under a leaf, and you just can’t eat it yourself, consider donating it to your local food bank. Even when it seems like zucchini are everywhere, there is always someone who will appreciate them!”
For more information about the Vegan Success cookbook, visit the web site at http://www.VeganSuccess.com.
For information on other products, visit: http://www.logicalexpressions.com
[tags]author Susan Daffron, Logical Expressions Inc, killer zucchini book, Vegan Success, Vegan Recipes for Busy People, Community Supported Agriculture[/tags]
