zucchini

Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup

This crockpot lasagna soup is like a deconstructed lasagna made in an Italian tomato broth full of vegetables with a creamy dollop of a three cheeses mixed in.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup

If you’ve found yourself trolling Pinterest, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen the meaty stove-top version of this easy vegetarian lasagna soup floating around. And there’s a perfectly good reason for that.

Because it’s so dang good!

I’m very much into giving my favorite comfort foods a different spin to make them brand new again. And when it comes to lasagna, I have a couple of recipe twists on this classic Italian comfort food up my sleeve, or at least, in my recipe box.

This time around, a healthy change-up to everyone else’s lasagna soup was in the works. To make the soup even simpler to make while coordinating the fam’s busy schedules, I took this vegetarian lasagna soup from the stove to the crockpot for cooking with ease.

Slow cooking makes lasagna soup easy to make any night of the week, and it can be made with the slow cooker function on the Instant Pot too.

continue to the recipe… about Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup

Grilled Zucchini With Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts

When the garden overfloweth, it’s time to heat up the grill for a turn-eth on the coals-eth for an easy side dish of grilled zucchini topped with creamy goat cheese and pine nuts.

Zucchini are the David Copperfield of the vegetable kingdom.

One minute you’re gazing upon 3-inch still-room-to-grow zucchini when BOOM! with the slight of mother nature’s hand that cute little mini squash has suddenly turned into a 4-pound gargantuan with enough flesh for 324 loaves of zucchini bread or 41 pepperoni stuffed zucchini boats.

That’s veggie magic folks.

And this zucchini side dish is magic too. It’s healthy. It’s easy. And like the Italians do, it can be plated and set on a table to be ,served warm or at room temperature so it’s perfect for serving at a potluck or party.continue to the recipe… about Grilled Zucchini With Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This double chocolate zucchini bread is the best of both worlds: healthy thanks to zucchini and a true chocolate craving cure with a double dose of cocoa and chocolate chips.

Ah September, the most bountiful month of the year, you are my favorite one of all.

I literally can’t even think of going into my neighborhood grocery or taking a stroll though the local farmers market without being stopped in my tracks by the fruits of summer’s labor. And I mean literally stopped because there’s no way I’m going to pass up samples of fresh local peaches and perfectly ripe, juicy watermelon. It makes enduring August’s inevitable round of late summer heat waves totally bearable.

Of course you know fruit isn’t the only seasonal bounty out there come harvest time. How dare we even think of leaving out the veggies in our seasonal haul. And if you’re a home gardener, you’re very likely up to your earlobes in everyone’s favorite grow at home varietal: the mighty zucchini.

One of the most obvious recipes that puts zucchini to work is everyone’s favorite: zucchini bread. And as will happen with classics like this, everyone has their favorite. I did too. Until I tried this one, and now I am not ashamed to say, I’ve totally jumped ship. Sorry mom, your recipe is no longer the favorite child. (Even though I know I still am.)

I can’t take credit for this double chocolate zucchini bread recipe because a far more talented baker created it well before blogs were even a twinkle in the world wide web’s eye. Before blogging (thank you www.com) Letty of Letty’s Kitchen was the Executive Pastry Chef at Deer Valley Resort for more than 30 years.

If you’ve yet to visit Deer Valley, you are missing out on some of the most amazing desserts you’ll ever taste. And most of those are desserts Letty created or had a hand in (and a spoon, and a whisk and probably a whole lot of finger that she licked) and were published in the cookbook The Chocolate Snowball: and Other Fabulous Pastries from Deer Valley Bakery featuring some of Letty’s and Deer Valley’s signature sweet eats.

I’ve been a huge fan of Letty’s skills for years and so of course I had to buy her cookbook, and I haven’t stopped baking from it since the day Amazon dropped it on my doorstep. Because these recipes were created for a ski resort, each one has high altitude adaptations for home cooks like me.

continue to the recipe… about Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Grilled Vegetables with Chimichurri Sauce

Grilled vegetables get a serious flavor boost with a few spoonfuls of this spunky Argentinian chimichurri as a bright and zesty finishing sauce in this easy vegetarian side dish.

When it comes to grilling vegetables, most figure it takes a soak in a marinade before grilling to infuse flavor into those healthy, veggie plain-janes.

That’s hardly the case.

Times have changed and so have our ideas about how to eat our veg. Adding this easy and tangy homemade chimichurri sauce to the savory flavors of grilled vegetables perks up and adds to the delicious gusto that comes along with cooking them over the fire.

This summer, grill first, marinade after. Rejoice and eat more plants! It’s what all the cool kids are doing.continue to the recipe… about Grilled Vegetables with Chimichurri Sauce

The Best Easy Grilled Vegetables

After years of practice on the grill, these are my tips for the best easy grilled vegetables, enhancing the natural sweetness of summer’s favorite vegetables with each smoky bite.

Adding more plants to meals is always at the top of my menu planning, and summer’s bounty makes it even easier to do. With a hot grill already fired up for grilled chicken, fish, or kebabs, I love slicing up whatever fresh vegetables I have in the fridge and tossing them on the grill for a simple mezze-ish platter side.

Even more, grilled vegetables are a healthy vegetarian main when chopped and added to this favorite healthy pasta salad (with avocado!), or added to healthy Mediterranean grain bowls, or made into one of my favorite easy grilled veggie sandwiches slathered with ricotta cheese.

Grilling coaxes out every bit of deep, roasted, sweetness from any plain old veg, softening and flavoring and bringing a lush, smoky char to each deliciously addicting bite.

This grilled vegetable recipe is another that isn’t so much of a recipe but a method to master, and easy to master it is. These grilled vegetables skip the marinade and the skewers, and there’s no need for a grilled vegetable grilling basket either.

Summer eats are meant to be simple, and these grilled vegetables are falling right in line.

continue to the recipe… about The Best Easy Grilled Vegetables

11 Use It Up Zucchini Recipes

These 11 recipes are sure to answer question of what to make with zucchini and cure your healthy recipe cravings at the same time.

I am 100% for fresh produce–but things can get a little out of hand in the garden this time of year, know what I mean?

If you’re like me, your counter tops are covered with zucchini and if you don’t have your own garden, I bet you’re getting doorbell ditched with tons of the stuff from friendly neighbors, desperate to offload their bounty.

Not that I’m complaining.

With so many ways to use this versatile veggie, you can eat squash every day through September without getting sick of it.

This roundup features 11 healthy, delicious recipes, guaranteed to help you make the most of summer’s most popular veggie.continue to the recipe… about 11 Use It Up Zucchini Recipes

Stuffed Zucchini Hasselback Pepperoni Pizza Style

Stuffed zucchini takes on a whole new look when it’s cut hasselback-style then stuffed with pepperoni pizza fixins’ for an easy, healthy, all-in-one 6-ingredient meal or pull-apart appetizer.

For most every backyard farmers the question isn’t how to grow zucchini, it’s what to do with it all once the harvest begins. These guys are prolific!

So what are some ways to use up all that zucchini? Stuffed zucchini is likely one of the first recipes on your idea list.

But how about this…how about we make the method even simpler and forgo the scoop and hollow method and simply slice these bad boys hasselback-style instead?

They’re ripe for the stuffing, so let’s get slicing.

continue to the recipe… about Stuffed Zucchini Hasselback Pepperoni Pizza Style

Spiralized Zucchini, Quinoa and Turkey Sausage Stuffed Peppers

These easy stuffed peppers are made without rice, and instead filled with healthy ingredients like spiralized zucchini, protein-packed quinoa, and ground turkey sausage for a fast and super healthy all-in-one dinner everyone at the table will love.

The other day I read that the day of the family dinner plate being made up of a main protein (meat, chicken, fish), a side of carbohydrates (rice, pasta, potatoes), and then a side of veggies (carrots, broccoli, whatever is languishing in the fridge), is quickly losing ground as the best idea of what dinner should look like. I grew up on the same idea of that ratio and for many years followed suit.

But thanks to the popularity of meals in bowls, hearty salads served as the main meal, and more all-in-one serving options, the dinner plate has changed. And it’s not only in how we divvy out portion size, but the actual vessel our meal is served in, like using vitamin-packed vegetables such as sweet potatoes, every squash imaginable, and cabbage leaves, just to name a few.

And at our house, there’s really no more versatile vegetable-to-bowl main ingredient than the almighty bell pepper.continue to the recipe… about Spiralized Zucchini, Quinoa and Turkey Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables

This creamy pasta salad recipe skips the mayonnaise for a lush sauce made with almond milk and avocado to make an easy grilled vegetable pasta salad you’ll happily eat guilt-free.

This recipe is brought to you by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze

One thing’s for sure: It’s rare I meet a pasta salad I don’t like. I may not have loved them all, but I do seem to have a high tolerance of acceptability for even the most marginalized salad bar pasta salad-types.

But that’s the main reason I choose to make my own pasta salads at home. They’re fresher, they taste better, and I can add a twist of healthy and still reap all the flavor and even the creamy factor I crave with this one in the fridge that’s ready to eat any time of the day.

How to Make a Creamy Pasta Salad That’s Healthier Too

Pasta and macaroni salads made with traditional creamy dressings are fine for my occasional potluck splurges. But when I’m looking for a creamy pasta salad I can jot down in my Nourished Planner for my weekly meal prep or share with friends who are more health-conscious about the foods they eat, this creamy sauced mash-up of almond milk and avocado totally does all the right stuff.

Just like I do for the rest of my menu planning, adding more colors of the rainbow to my pasta salad is a simple way to make it more nourishing too. Plus, it just makes it so dang pretty too!continue to the recipe… about Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Easy Greek Chicken Kebabs

Boneless, skinless chicken breast marinated in the traditional Greek flavors of lemon, garlic and oregano then threaded on skewers with a few veggies makes these grilled chicken kebabs an easy and healthy weeknight dinner winner.

Dinner on the grill makes up about 95% of our summer dinner cooking routine, and with so much variety to be had (pork, steak, shrimp, and even cheese!) cooking skewers and kebabs is an easy, all-in-one healthy dinner that take as little as 15 minutes to marinate only about 15 minutes for the chicken kebabs to cook on the grill.

I’m not sure when I dropped the shish in shish kebabs, but whether you spell them kebabs or kababs, or maybe call them skewers too, these small chunks of chicken threaded on wooden or metal skewers with vegetable chunks are incredibly versatile to make.

Nearly every cuisine has it’s own ethnic flavor of chicken kebab (Indian, Turkish, Middle Eastern, Japanese and Thai) as a popular street food to eat on the go.

But today we’re staying at home to make our own, and cure my summertime Mediterranean flavor-craving with grilled Greek chicken kebabs, all day, all the way, babe-ae.

How to Make the Greek Chicken Marinade

This greek marinade is my favorite go-to recipe for anything and everything chicken and it does double duty as a dressing for salads too.continue to the recipe… about Easy Greek Chicken Kebabs

One-Pot Mexican Shrimp with Orzo and Zucchini

This easy shrimp, zucchini, and orzo pasta recipe straddles the line between a one-pot pasta a 30-minute meal dinner. But with a healthy dose of zucchini and a bit of heat from Mexican flavors, it should actually fall into the wonder-pot category, because it’s all the healthy flavor bites all in one.

When readers share their biggest challenge with cooking and eating more healthily, 98% of them have exactly the same problem. (btw, email me yours!)

It isn’t lack of desire.

It isn’t lack of recipe ideas or inspiration.

And it isn’t a lack of skill.

The number one challenge is always the same: Finding the time to shop, prep, and cook homemade meals with real good real food.

That’s why having a stocked pantry, along with a couple of long-lasting fresh ingredients plus a few freezer staples is my way to successfully challenge that challenge.

continue to the recipe… about One-Pot Mexican Shrimp with Orzo and Zucchini

Harvest Squash and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Busy nights call for easy recipes and once harvest time has hit, it’s time to slink into comfort food territory. These stuffed shells with zucchini, butternut, and yellow squash baked in a creamy white alfredo sauce couldn’t be easier to prep and are even easier to crave.

This recipe is brought to you by McCormick

I’ve been working hard on my meal planning skills and trying to pay a lot more attention to food waste. What I’ve discovered is I waste way too much food. I do my weekly Farmers Market shopping with the best of intentions of cooking and eating up all I buy, but what family of three can truly eat 4 pounds of peaches, 10 gorgeous bell peppers and a bakers dozen of fresh sweet corn in just one week?

So when I’m in a funk of what to pull out of my back-to-school-weeknight-dinner-making hat, I head to my fridge and rummage through the crisper drawer to capture any veggies, lettuces or fruits that are just shy of taking a turn for the worst.

And that’s how today’s recipe puts last week’s farmer’s market find of zucchini and yellow squash on the top of my meal planning list.

continue to the recipe… about Harvest Squash and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

55 Healthy Zucchini Recipes to Make Now

This round up of 55 favorite zucchini recipes will keep you healthy and happy through the rest of summer’s bountiful harvest and all through the year.

During these final dog days of summer, there’s not much better than healthful eats packed with summer produce, unless of course you’re the lucky one who gets to lounge on a floatie all day at the pool with a summer sipper in hand. But even then, a girl’s gotta eat!

Late summer’s bounty of fresh summer veggies and fruits are one of the bright spots during these last steamy days—and sheesh, they’ve been STEAMY!

If you’ve been all Mary, Mary Quite Contrary and have a garden that continues to grow, you’re likely up to your ears in zucchini and sneaking it into meals in every which way you can. It’s wiggled its way into soups and galettes, bowls of zoodles and loaves of zucchini bread handed off to friends and neighbors.

From appetizers and mains, to sides and salads, there are thousands of ways to enjoy this versatile green veggie beyond my favorite 5-minute super simple zucchini sauté. We’ve narrowed down our list to these favorite 55 recipes shown off in all their glory below.

Let’s get squashed, shall we?

continue to the recipe… about 55 Healthy Zucchini Recipes to Make Now

Easy 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini

It takes just three ingredients (plus salt and pepper) and about five minutes to create this zucchini side dish that easily slides into just about any main meal menu plan.

So you’ve answered the question of what the heck you’re going to fix for dinner tonight. Congratulations! Hey, it’s not easy to come up with a dinner plan that pleases everyone’s likes, dislikes, and food craving fancies. But you did it!

Next comes part 2 of the dinner-time equation, the one that is typically a stumper. “So…what should we have with it?”

This question seems to be the one that can lead most home cooks down the rabbit hole only to pop back up with the same rotation of the same side dishes they fix over and over and over again. That’s why, moving forward, my goal here at the FC blog HQ is to provide you with more ideas of simple, sides that appeal to the whole gang at the table, have a healthy bent, and are neutral enough to go with just about anything.

So let’s get started with a super simple side dish I grew up on that right now in August is totally in season now, but can also be made just as easily in February: 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini. continue to the recipe… about Easy 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini

31 Days of Summer Produce Recipes to Make in August

These 31 easy, healthy recipe ideas for summer produce are what make the living easy this month!

There’s nothing quite like biting into that first peach with juice dribbling steadily down your chin. Or the taste of summer’s first BLT stacked high with tomatoes still warm from the garden—you know, the one that requires at least five napkins.

Ah summer, there are so many reasons why we love you but your fresh fruits and veg are at the tops of our list.

With a jam-packed calendar of fitting in each and every summer picnic, take-it-to-the-beach day, and potluck soirée, summer’s favorite, fresh seasonal eats are more in demand this month than ever. Thankfully, there’s produce aplenty come each and every August so that seasonal farmers market gems are easily making their way into all of our meals.

For our eighth installment of our 31 Days Series, we’re going seasonal, baby, so it’s all about tender squash, juicy tomatoes, and corn so sweet you could get a toothache. We’re frequenting the farmers market and stocking up like its our job, because this summer bounty won’t be around for too much longer. So grab your best market tote and let’s hit the stalls!continue to the recipe… about 31 Days of Summer Produce Recipes to Make in August

Linguine and Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp

Healthy spiralized zucchini, whole wheat linguine garlicky shrimp and parmesan cheese make a perfect and easy weeknight dinner to twirl your fork to.

This post is in partnership with DeLallo Foods

Noodles vs. zoodles. For me it isn’t an issue of either/or, but rather, and/with.

For the past few years, zucchini noodles have been the darling of the food world and for many have become the introduction to spiralizing vegetables. In fact, it’s become so popular my blogging friend Ali just published her second book on spiralizing everything from apples to kohlrabi to rutebegas (check it out here) and even has her own branded product to do so, the Inspiralizer.

I’m betting I use my Inspiralizer at least once a week, and while I’m fascinated with the variety of stuff I can spiralize, I’ve stuck mainly to zucchini. It’s just so simple.

Once again this year I’ve partnered with DeLallo Foods in creating easy, family-friendly recipes I hope everyone will love. Creating recipes using DeLallo’s products is honestly one of the most fun challenges of this job because they have such a variety of products, all of which I value for their quality and the fact that they’re totally delicious. It makes it tough to narrow down my recipe ideas to just fit into just one year.

Just like Santa, my list is long.continue to the recipe… about Linguine and Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp

Chopped Grilled Vegetable Bowl with Farro and #FreshCoastRetreat

This vegetarian Mediterranean bowl is filled with grilled vegetables and farro, then topped with a garlic yogurt sauce, kalamata olives, feta and hummus.

Recipe inspiration comes in many forms. This recipe’s inspiration came from a mish mosh of veggies in my crisper and a trip to Michigan with a mish mosh of food bloggers.

Similarities in my kitchen and in my life never seem to end.

Thanks to my friends Liz of The Lemon Bowl, Dara of Cookin’ Canuck and Phi of Sweet Phi, the hosts of the #FreshCoastRetreat, 16 food bloggers reaped the benefits of connecting with one another, and the inspiration for this healthy, vegetarian, one-bowl meal was picqued.

But before I share more about the retreat, let’s talk about the recipe for this one-bowl meal.continue to the recipe… about Chopped Grilled Vegetable Bowl with Farro and #FreshCoastRetreat

Thai Zucchini Noodle and Quinoa Salad

Spiralized zucchini is the base of this crunchy raw vegetable salad that features a creamy, flavorful Thai peanut dressing for a healthy lunch or dinner.

I’ve been on a bit of a Thai kick lately, as witnessed by last week’s Shrimp in Thai Coconut Sauce.

Okay, I’ve been on a Thai kick, for, like, forever, as witnessed by this lengthy list of recipes here on le bloggity blog.

And after I ate the original version of this spiralized zucchini noodle aka zoodle recipe, I knew I had to add one more to the lineup.

Most likely, it won’t be the last. continue to the recipe… about Thai Zucchini Noodle and Quinoa Salad

Zucchini and Chorizo Cheese Toast

Spicy chorizo gives a nice kick to this cheesy gouda and squash topped toast which can easily be doubled for a crowd pleasing appetizer or main meal.

I’m always happy to add an appetizer to a family meal, but when they get too dainty and precious, that’s when I bow out.

Finger food. Tidbit. Munchie.

Really? I want (wo)man food. I want flavor. I want a mouthful. I want an appetizer that doesn’t leave me lurking over someone else’s shoulder as they reach and snatch that last canapé at the buffet table.

Foiled again by a measly morsel of food.

That’s why this cheese toast is so extremely satisfying. Sure it could be cut down to size as an easy appetizer with full-strength satiation, but the beauty lies in its ability to stand on its own bread basket and become a meal in itself.

When you take the combination of seasonal squash, sturdy but still toothsome bread, spiced up sausage and cheese, oh glorious cheese!, then my friends, you have a recipe that’s going to do just fine holding its own.

continue to the recipe… about Zucchini and Chorizo Cheese Toast

Classic Gazpacho Plus 5 More That’ll Make You Say “WOW!”

This classic, refreshing no-cook gazpacho is a mix of fresh veggies and store-bought tomato based vegetable juice for a perfect blend of smooth and chunky textures.

Why am I standing in the closet talking to my phone at 11:30 at night? My husband’s in bed. My Smudge has been tucked in for hours.

And I’m talking into my phone.

He probably thinks I’m crazy.

Or that I’m cheating on him with someone else on the line.

But I’m not either of those two. Or at least not the latter.

I’m dictating a blog post as I get ready for bed. Because something popped into my head, and Lord help me, if I don’t write it down, or talk it into my phone, the thought will disappear as quickly as my dog eats her dinner as if she hadn’t been fed for days. Oh…this brain of mine.

continue to the recipe… about Classic Gazpacho Plus 5 More That’ll Make You Say “WOW!”

Baked Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

Zucchini gets a light and crispy turn coated with Panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and fresh thyme, and then baked in the oven instead of fried.

Sometimes my phone’s autocorrect totally hits the nail on the head.

For example, the other day I heard a quote that totally reminded me of my grandma Mary Jane. She was the queen of quotes and always had a poignant comment or comeback no matter what life was throwing your way. Something to remind you to build up, keep up or get out.

It was a quote that resonated so I took to my iPhone to quickly type it in. Later, I re-read it to add a little oomph to my day.

“Be yourself because everybody else is already faken taken.”

Faken? Taken?

I think the type-o is the world’s way of telling me you don’t have to fake it ’til you make it because everyone else is already doing so. Just be yourself. Isn’t that the easier and smarter way.

How did Siri become as smart as my grandma?

continue to the recipe… about Baked Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

Zucchini and Fresh Corn Farmers’ Market Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

This raw salad gets its spunk from a garlicky-lemon basil vinaigrette that lightly marinates the thin squash peels and freshly shucked corn kernels.

This salad is proof that you don’t always have to have a plan.

Sometimes the best dishes are created on the fly, without intention or strategy. If you just let intuition take over.

Ingredients don’t always lend you inspiration right off the bat. They reveal themselves in good time. I think this salad captures the essence of summer — bright and fresh, lazy and satisfying.

After a visit to the farmers’ market one recent Saturday, FoodieCrush contributor Hayley found herself with a bounty of veggies and no idea what to do with them. Feeling hungry, but not particularly ambitious, she decided to throw together this summer salad.

Hayley loved it so much she knew it needed to be on the blog because with just one bite, she divined three revelations.

“1. Why don’t I shave squash more often? It’s so pretty,” she questioned.

“2. I can’t say “summer salad” without thinking of I Love you, Man.”

“And, 3. I just made a raw salad for dinner. And it was really good. And very adult of me.”

Nice job Hayley, and welcome to grownup-land and the world of raw. Now how about that recipe so the rest of us can enjoy it too?

continue to the recipe… about Zucchini and Fresh Corn Farmers’ Market Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Heirloom Tomato, Zucchini, Caramelized Onion and Feta Galette

Caramelized onions and a spread of Dijon mustard make this rustic summer vegetable pie a favorite for an easy lunch, a light dinner or impressive appetizer.

Welcome, lazy dog days of summer. I’ve been waiting for you to show up.

The time of year I wish I was one of my favorite four-legged furry friends so that it would be perfectly acceptable to lie about the house and languish in the long shadows of the evening as the air conditioner kicks on and off before I wander down the hall to have someone else prepare my dinner, feed me and even get a little scratch on the old belly. And of course since I wouldn’t have thumbs, how could I possibly be expected to do the dishes?

It sounds pretty good. Except I wouldn’t want to eat dog food. No. Not at all. But rustic tarts loaded with summer veggies? That I will do. And friends, it is a FAR cry from dog food.

continue to the recipe… about Heirloom Tomato, Zucchini, Caramelized Onion and Feta Galette

Caprese Zucchini Salad with Ali Maffucci of Inspiralized

An interview with blogger Ali Maffucci of Inspiralized, about her new cookbook, plus a recipe for Caprese Zucchini Salad.

I bought my first spiralizer for a photo shoot 15 years ago at a Japanese market. It was green, looked a bit like an pterodactyl and I couldn’t read the instructions on how to use it. But I thought, “What a cool gadget.”

I’m all about the gadgets.

In 15 years, I used it once. I’ve since misplaced the blades to make thinner or thicker spiraled vegetables. It’s stuck on one setting. And now, after receiving Ali Maffucci’s cookbook Inspiralized, it might be time to upgrade.

Spiralizing veggies is all the rage, and I have a feeling that Ali has helped propel it into the mainstream because of her blog by the same name as her cookbook, Inspiralized.

Giving Ali all the credit for popularizing this cooking trend would be a little heavy handed, but since her decision in 2013 to dedicate an entire blog to one single cooking method, she’s garnered a legion of fans who are visiting her blog (over 2 million page views a month) and putting their own spin on healthy eating too.

So maybe more than a little credit should go to this 28 year old entrepreneur.

Hailing from the fine state of New Jersey where she currently lives with her fiance, Lu, this former vegan’s introduction to spiralizing came from where many of us learned our cooking secrets—from her mom. But her mother wasn’t simply trying a new food trend. Instead, she was saving her own life by changing her eating style, then shared this new way to prepare vegetables and fruits with her daughter.

Breakfast, lunches, dinners and yes, even desserts, can be spiralized. Ali’s recipe for Caprese Zucchini Salad is just one of the 80 in her new book and it’s the one I’ll be sharing at the end of this post.continue to the recipe… about Caprese Zucchini Salad with Ali Maffucci of Inspiralized

Friday Faves

What’s inside matters. People, places, things, food. No matter what it looks like on the outside, the inside is where it’s at.

I think we all have a tendency to put on that hard, outer shell. The force field of a bubble that shields us from the crap the world delivers to our doorsteps. The key is to remember that shielding and retreating is perfectly acceptable and enduring life’s trials and tribulations makes us stronger. Until shielding and retreating becomes a habit. Or a crutch. Or a place we go to ignore what’s really going on.

Luckily for many of us, it also doesn’t take much to pull us out of our proverbial rabbit holes. Warms rays of sunshine on a sun-starved face, a warm smile from a stranger or the gentle caress of someone you love that without words says, “Everything is going to be all right.”

continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Herbed Ricotta

It’s mid-summer and I am soaking it in. Even my numbed-by-pain-killers-broken-wrist can’t dull the memories in my post-week-at-the-beach-where-did-the-humidity-go-summer-lovin-skin. It’s what summer’s all about and I have the tan to prove it.

With just 2 more weeks of July we’re narrowing down to the final 2 recipes for FoodieCrush Grilling Month. Break out the ticker tape because this week it’s a parade of a veggies on the grill.

So far this month we’ve sharpened our grilling skills with recipes for Grilled Pork Chops with Spicy Balsamic Grilled Peaches and headed to the sea for a bite of Grilled Swordfish with Smoked Paprika and Herbed Fruit Salsa. This week we’re circling back to dry land and the farmer’s market to take advantage of summer’s opulence.

Too often we get caught in our tried and true methods of steaming, baking and sautéeing when it comes to cooking veggies. But it’s summer, time to shake things up by biking rather than driving, wearing short shorts instead of maxi skirts and smiling extra sweetly at the cute barrista who always gets your name right…just because you know you can.

And when it comes to cooking, it’s time to break out of the expected because it’s summer and the grill is where the flavor. is. at.

continue to the recipe… about Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Herbed Ricotta

Roasted Tomato and Zucchini Frittata Recipe

I don’t have a coop. But lucky for me I know someone who does.

I’m a bit of an egghead. I know, last week I was a picklehead, now I’m an egghead and soon enough you’ll be reading about me becoming a cheesehead. Yes, a real-live Wisconsin cheesehead. But you’ll be hearing of that soon enough.

Back to the eggs.

Backyard chicken coops are the of-the-moment-hipster-hobby. It seems like the more dependent we become on our beloved digital devices (phones, televisions, cameras, computers) the more we crave anti-technology time (crafting, gardening, exercising, cooking.) And nothing seems more back-to-our-roots than farming. And the easiest way to farm for many of us is to put up a couple of chickens in the back forty—or 10 X 10 square—and enjoy the fruits of our free-range, hormone-free, freshly-laid orb.continue to the recipe… about Roasted Tomato and Zucchini Frittata Recipe

Dinner is for Kids: Spaghetti Tacos Recipe

I know, I know. You’re sitting there, staring at this post and thinking this recipe is one of those “Oh let’s see how outlandish we can be and create an oddball recipe just to be different.”

Well, it is and it isn’t.

Blame it on Spencer. He’s Carly’s big brother.

Smudge has been relentlessly requesting Spaghetti Tacos ever since she saw the first episode of Nickelodeon’s iCarly. Which means its been, like, 2 years.

And surprisinglly, I think it’s pretty good too.

continue to the recipe… about Dinner is for Kids: Spaghetti Tacos Recipe

7 Great Zucchini Pastas Plus Zucchini and Chicken Sausage Penne Pasta Recipe

We all know the drill, the harvest mantra: “What am I going to do with all this zucchini?”

Well, here’s what you do with it. You cook with it, you bake with it, you think about tanning it for the newest trend in vegan alternative leather.

Hey, we may have something there.

I have to share this photo of what happened in my garden 3 years ago. It was stunning.

We had just moved into our latest house and it was my first time gardening in the plot the previous owner had prepared for his veggies. I’d heard from the neighbors that he was quite the gardener—resulting in us removing about 40 trees and countless shrubs. But the guy knew how to cae for his soil, and the spot he tilled for his veggies, was bar-none, top notch soil.

I was by no means prepared for the bounty of this harvest.continue to the recipe… about 7 Great Zucchini Pastas Plus Zucchini and Chicken Sausage Penne Pasta Recipe

Zucchini and Dill Pasta Salad

By the looks of so many of my favorite foodie blogs, everyone is searching—and providing—amazing zucchini recipes this week. And with the plethora of veggie madness these plants provide, I say the more recipes the better.

So in an attempt to utilize my excessive zucchini jungle (how does one squash manage to explode into a super-hero size veggie in 24 hours anyway?) I’m discovering as many recipes as possible to incorporate/mask/hide/add zucchini into.

And this is one of my new favorites. It’s a a chameleon of a recipe: serve as a meatless option for a vegetarian main dish or toss in some grilled chicken or canned white tuna for even more extra added protein.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

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Zucchini and Dill Pasta Salad

This quick fresh pasta salad is great for summer nights on the patio.

Ingredients

Lemony Zucchini and Bean Pasta Salad
adapted from Donna Hay
Serves 4 as main course 8-10 as a side dish
1 lb. orecchiette pasta penne or farfalle would would work as well
3 medium size zucchini diced into 1/4" pieces
1 15 oz. can organic garbanzo beans drained (I like Westbrae brand)
1/2 lb fresh green beans trimmed and chopped into 1" pieces
1/4 cup fruity olive oil the best you can afford
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Lemon zest from one lemon
1 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 tsp cracked fresh pepper
1/4 cup fresh dill chopped
1 cup or 10 oz package queso fresco cheese crumbled (you can also use any dry, white cheese such as feta)

Instructions

Cook the pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water according to package directions or until al dente. Drain, rinse and set aside in a large bowl.
Blanche the green beans in a saucepan of simmering water for 1 minute. Remove and rinse with cold water, add to pasta. Add zucchini, garbanzo beans, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper and dill to pasta and beans and toss well to combine. Top with crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese. Refrigerate for one hour for flavors to marry. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

And for those of you with the need to fill your ever-growing zucchini fantasies beyond zucchini bread or recipes of the stuffed squash variety, check out the tasty veggie vittles below.

Expanding on Adrianna’s ever-growing list of veggies-turned-into-fries, A Cozy Kitchen‘s Zucchini Fries are crunchy on the outside, creamy in the middle and by baking instead of frying, prep is way easier than trudging out your once-a-year-oily-mess of a Fry Daddy. Oh, and did we mention she serves them with Garlic Aioli and Sriracha Mayo? Helloooo breath mints! In the best way of course.

Nothing makes zucchini more palatable—and kid-pleasing—than mixing it up with some hazelnut-ty Nutella goodness from A Spicy Perspective. Sommer’s Zucchini Nutella Swirl Muffins look especially drool-worthy, and since she’s done the testing for us, there’s no need to tweak this recipe. Trust the process or you’ll be making it 4 times over like Sommer did.

In 101 Cookbooks‘ savory version of traditional cheesecake, Heidi suggests using a box grater or microplane for best zuch texture (best to avoid the potential for zucchini mush) and if so inclined you could drain the ricotta for an even lighter and fluffier Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake. If that were possible. Delicious!

I was intrigued by the roasted walnuts in this dish, a nut I hadn’t thought to pair with zucchini. Dishing the Divine keeps Zucchini with Walnuts a quick and light side dish thanks to an assortment of fresh herbs. But be sure to heed Paula’s sage advice and don’t let the zuchs get too browned when cooking or you’ll be eating a zucchini pureé.

Still in need some inspiration? Head over to Kalyn’s for her top 20 zucchini recipe list

Thanks for reading. If you liked this post, please subscribe to foodiecrush and follow me on twitter, Facebook and Pinterest

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