Zucchini Zeal

I bought a big pack of zucchini from Trader Joe's and am still trying to finish it off. My favorite way to eat zucchini now is in salads. I got this idea from a recipe in Food and Wine magazine.

I cut the ends off of the zucchini, peel the skin off, and then with the vegetable peeler I shave the zucchini lengthwise into long ribbons. I throw this on top of some salad greens. And you can add whatever else you have on hand; I like to add carrots cut in the same way as the zucchini. I think fennel would also taste good, or thinly sliced apples.

And I like to top it off with some goat cheese, salt and pepper, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Very tasty!

I also made some quesadillas with roasted zucchini and red bell pepper. I considered this dish a success because my dad, who always has something to say if he has to eat a vegetarian meal, actually said that it was good.

I cut up the red bell pepper and zucchini into thin slices, toss them with some olive oil and salt, and stick them in a 500 degree oven. You could also sautee them. Once the vegetables are cooked - I like them to get a little brown - put them in flour tortillas along with some pepper jack cheese. I like to cook my quesadillas in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil so that the tortilla gets crisp.

Finally, zucchini fritters make a great snack and are a delicious way to eat zucchini. Anything tastes good fried!