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Week 6 - Zucchini!

This week we are back to 'green' vegetables, less colourful and more common. Zucchini is part of the squash family of vegetables and those who grow zucchini in their gardens, know how big they can get up here in the north! I have grown zucchini the size of a large spaghetti squash. You can't even give those large zucchini's away - no one wants to deal with that much zucchini!

They don't taste as sweet and juicy when they are large, but they can be grated up and frozen for future zucchini cakes! Baking with grated zucchini is a great way to use up lots of garden zucchini. I was tempted to include my chocolate zucchini cake recipe (gluten-free, dairy free) today, up opted for a simple sauteed recipe instead. After all, my challenge is about introducing vegetables into your diet the easiest way possible. Sauteeing vegetables is about as simple as it gets, and few people have time to bake these days.

*But if you still want my chocolate zucchini cake recipe, email me and I can forward it to you.

Zucchini is another good source of Vitamin C (an antioxidant), especially the yellow zucchinis with their high level of cartenoids. Zucchini has zero cholestorol and no saturated fat so it is a good vegetable for weight reduction as well as lowering your blood pressure.

Pastel drawing.

Well zucchini are relatively easy to draw compared to other vegetables, so this was a quick study! The forms are easily rendered but the shiny surface makes for interesting highlights and the shadows create more visual interest in an otherwise simple composition. Cropping one zucchini helped to divide up the background space into 3 main shapes.

Sautéed Zucchini Recipe.docx

How to get started...
1) Introduce zucchini into your diet this week. Use the recipe provided or find your own.

2) Since this is an easier vegetable to draw - try drawing it - get out your crayons or pastels! If not, be creative with how you cut and slice your zucchini. Cut them into medallions, or diagonally or julienne style (long, thin strips). Of course you can grate them for baking or stirfrys. Why not cut them into a variety of shapes and sizes, and make a picture on your plate with other colour vegetables like peppers. Remember, I am asking you to play with your food! Then take a photograph of it before eating it!

Keep it simple and have fun and submit your 'creations' to me at lynnldallaire@gmail.com so I can track your progress for your prize!

Share your recipes on Facebook, or email them to me and I can share them too!