I never used to be a zucchini lover. It was a boring mushy vegetable. But as I got more and more into healthy eating, and plant-focused eating, I realized that it would be a good idea to develop a relationship with zucchini.
After all, zucchini has a lot of things going for it:
- Zucchini contains zero fat, and is high in water and fibre.
- It contains significant amounts of vitamins B6, riboflavin, folate, C, and K, and minerals, like potassium and manganese.
- Zucchini can be eaten cooked or raw.
- It has a very low calorie density. You could literally eat zucchinis all day and not gain weight.
- They are typically inexpensive, so you really load up on zucchinis for a small chunk of change.
- They come in different varieties – green, yellow squash, and marrow, which are shorter and a greenish-grey colour.
- Zucchini is very versatile. Try it in baked goods, soups, stir-frys, roasted, BBQ’d and in salads. They can be spiralized and used instead of pasta.
Zucchini is now a regular staple in my home. This recipe, which was inspired by a recipe from the Bais Yaakov cookbook, is regular fare once a week at our dinner table. We had a big crowd for dinner on Friday night and they devoured it!
Serves 8-10 as a side dish
4 medium-large zucchinis, cut into strips
3 peppers – 1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow, cut into strips
1 large red onions, cut into strips
2 bulbs of garlic, peeled and minced
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut zucchinis into long strips by first cutting zucchini in half lengthwise, and then cutting each half into 4, so each zucchini with yield about 8 strips. Evenly distribute the zucchini over the 2 cookie sheets.
- Next cut the peppers into long strips, and scatter between the zucchini pieces
- And then cut the onions into thin strips, and fill in the gaps on the cookie sheet with the onions.
- Sprinkle the minced garlic and lemon zest over the vegetables. Then pour the lemon juice evenly over the vegetables. Season with salt and fresh groun pepper.
- Bake 15 minutes, then switch positions of cookie sheets, so that each sheet has spent 15 minutes on bottom rack and 15 minutes on top rack.
- Then place each rack under low broil for 5-7 minutes to brown.
- Serve yourself a big helping with some rice and beans on the side.