Oh yes, it’s that time of year – we have green zucchini, yellow zucchini, and paddy pans coming out our ying yang. What to do with all of these delicious summer squash…

Here are a few ideas: Make a cake, loaf or muffins – see recipes below!

Teresa (who I work with at the market) makes grilled zucchini pizzas – she grills sliced zucchini or paddy pans that have been brushed with olive oil for the base of the ‘pizza’, and then puts on the pizza toppings – anything you like pepperoni, cheese, pizza sauce. I love feta, tomatoes and basil- but why not make up your own combination?

I also love the simple grilled flavour of zucchini with lots of garlic and onions. mmm.

Some folks at the market have told me they have even put grated zucchini into brownies to make them extra moist. I think it is worth a try!

Here are the recipes as promised!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake

 

2 1/2 cup (500 ml) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (125 ml) cocoa powder

2 1/2 tsp (12.5 ml) baking powder

1 1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon

1 1/2 cup (375 ml) milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup (125 ml) buttermilk

2 cup (500 ml) granulated sugar

3 eggs

2 cup (500 ml) zucchini, grated

2 tsp vanilla

3 Tbsp (45 ml) orange zest, minced

Glaze:

1 1/2 cup (500 ml) icing sugar

3-4 Tbsp (45-60 ml) orange juice

• Heat oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray.
• In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
• In another bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, and sugar with the eggs. Stir in the zucchini, vanilla, and orange zest. Pour wet mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir just to combine. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan, and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling on a rack.
• Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar and orange juice for the glaze, and when the cake is cool, pour over top.
• Makes one bundt cake.

Nutty Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup (375 ml) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil

1/2 cup (125 ml) plain yogourt

2 cups (500 ml) zucchini, grated

1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla

1 Tbsp (15 ml) orange zest, minced

3 cups (750 ml) all purpose flour

1 tsp (5 ml) salt

1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder

1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

1 cup (250 ml) pecans, chopped

Glaze:

1 cup (250 ml) icing sugar, sifted

3 Tbsp (45 ml) orange juice

• Heat oven to 350° F (180° C). Spray two loaf pans with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs with the sugar, oil, yogourt, zucchini, vanilla, and orange zest. In another larger bowl, sift the flour together with the salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in the pecans. Make a well in the centre, and stir in the egg/ sugar mixture. Stir just until everything is combined. Divide the batter equally between the two loaf pans, smooth out the top of the batter, and place loaf pans in oven.  Bake for 50 minutes to one hour. Check to make sure the loaf is cooked by sticking a toothpick in the centre, and checking to see that no wet batter sticks to it. When cooked, let cool in pans set on racks for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and let cool thoroughly.
• Make glaze by stirring the icing sugar together with the orange juice until smooth. Spread on top of loaves, letting it drip down the sides.
• Makes two loaves.