Zucchini Squashes the Competition

Late summer brings out the worst in gardeners. These seemingly innocent turners of the soil become

strategic guerilla warriors in a matter of weeks. What brings about this dramatic change? One thing:
Zucchini.

When you have a successful zucchini season, you start out happy, victorious….for once again, you shall
feed your family, but as the weeks go by, and every flat surface in your home has become a receptacle
for that nefarious veggie…..well…..your grip on sanity begins to slip.


You’ll start to pawn vegetables off on everyone you know. Your neighbors will begin to avoid you. Your friends won’t return your calls. Those stinking zucchinis will start to ruin your life.



Now, let’s not knock the zucchini, or if you’re feeling all fancy “courgette”, too much. Here are some
reasons you should be a zucchini fan:

• It is very low in calories. If you want to lose weight or reduce your cholesterol, zucchini should
be your be your new BFF.
• It is high in fiber and offers some protection against colon cancers.
• It is great for pregnant woman as it is a good source of folates which help in fetal development.
• Zucchini is also a good source of Vitamins A and C and lutein – great for your eyes and skin!
• It is a good source of potassium (in other words heart healthy) and can counter the effects of
sodium while reducing blood pressure.
• One of the best things about zucchini from a chef’s point of view is that its flavor is so mild; it
becomes a very versatile ingredient.
• So before you go all guerrilla zucchini warrior on your neighbor, try out this simple recipe:

Grilled Zucchini
Ingredients:
Zucchini
¼ cup each of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and lemon juice
4 cloves of garlic, diced

Instructions:
Wash and slice the zucchini into spears. Add all ingredients in gallon size storage bag. Give a good shake.
Place in freezer. Marinate for at least 6 hours; can marinate overnight for a richer flavor. Fire up the grill
and cook. Easy-peasy.

And if you get to the point, where you just can’t stomach the idea of eating any more zucchini, store it
for winter when you’ll be hungry for it again. Blanching and freezing zucchini is easy and not surprisingly
cost-effective. Blanching is an important process because it kills any bacteria that are lurking in the
veggies. For some reason too scientific for me to fully understand, the enzymes in zucchini are harmless

when fresh, but in the freezer, they take on a life of their own which could result in you getting
extremely ill from eating it if you freeze without blanching. Blanching also helps lock in the vegetable’s
vibrant color and preserve all those yummy vitamins.



Instructions for blanching zucchini:
Wash your room temperature zucchini. Cut off both ends and discard. Cut in half length wise and then
slice into ½ think half-moons.

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and drop in your zucchini (carefully!) Cook for 3 minutes.

Remove the zucchini and place into a large bowl of ice water. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Transfer the zucchini into your labeled (and I find dated is also helpful) freezer bag and place
immediately into your freezer. You can store your zucchini this way for up to 9 months. Plenty of time
for you to have forgotten the zucchini debacle and plant your garden once again!

Keep a look out for zucchini warriors! If they don’t appreciate their harvest, now you will!

Happy eating!
Sarah