Fabulous Food Friday

Since Alyssa has not posted one of her fabulous foods I thought that I would give it a shot. Since this is the time of year when everyone is either trying to give away their extra zucchini or trying to figure out what to do with the over-sized squash that some one unloaded on them.

The Simple Zucchini

Zucchini, a summer squash, is one of the easiest vegetables to grow. It is inexpensive, versatile and tasty. Although it is not especially high in any specific nutrient, it is low in calories, and it contains antioxidants and 2.5 grams of fiber per one-cup serving.

The long, green summer squash is most familiar to us and is easy to prepare. Toward the end of summer, many people tire of it and look for new and interesting ways to cook it. If you grow zucchini, you are most likely need more recipes for cooking it, since the plant has a reputation for growing “out of control” overnight, producing a great number of squash that can grow very large.

There are thousands of recipes using zucchini available on the Internet. You can use large or small zucchini for Zucchini-Crusted Pizza recipe, which is delicious and low in carbohydrate. The crust is made by shredding the zucchini, a good way to re-introduce it to people who don’t like seeing the seeds when it is cut into “moons” or chopped.

Here is something you might try. Enjoy this unusual pizza for breakfast, lunch or dinner and for a healthy snack.

Ingredients & Preparation

Zucchini-Crusted Pizza Ingredients:
2 cups packed grated zucchini (about two 7" zucchini)
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup almond flour or almond meal
½ cup grated mozzarella
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings, or 2 teaspoons combined of minced fresh basil, thyme, oregano and parsley
Topping
1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
2 ounces goat cheese
1 thinly sliced fresh or roasted red pepper
8 olives, sliced

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°.
Spray a 10" pizza or pie pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.
Combine zucchini, eggs, almond flour, cheese and herbs in a bowl and mix well.
Spread crust mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, but leave oven on.

When the crust has cooled for about 10 minutes, use a spatula to loosen it from the pan, so it won’t break when serving.

Top the crust with the vegetables and goat cheese and bake at 400° until heated through and cheese starts to color.

Makes 6 servings


Serving Suggestion:
Additional suggested toppings:
Sliced raw or sautéed mushrooms
Chopped artichokes, water packed or marinated
Sliced onions
A layer of pesto
Fresh leaves of spinach or Swiss chard
Fresh or roasted garlic
Chopped fresh or dried herbs such as basil, mint, parsley and thyme
Make a breakfast pizza by layering thin slices of Canadian bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and diced pineapple.

Nutrition at a Glance (per serving)
Calories 140
Total fat 9g
Saturated fat 3g
Carbohydrate 8g
Dietary fiber 2g
Protein 8g

Good luck and enjoy!