Fall may have my favorite pumpkin-related items but summer is full of fresh fruits and vegetables. I love being able to eat lots of good fruits as snacks and share those with my children. I also enjoy cooking with zucchini and yellow squash because they are so versatile! Cucumbers are good too but I mostly just add them to salads/bowls or drinks (alcoholic and non!).
I bought one medium sized zucchini and one medium sized yellow squash a few weeks ago and forgot about them. I found them in my fridge a few days later and realized that I needed to use them fast. If you go on Pinterest, there are tons of fun, somewhat complex recipes, like zucchini burgers, zoodles, and other pasta dishes. I didn’t have time for that, so instead I decided to improvise.
I ended up making a side dish and a breakfast dish. I sliced both of them very thinly and used half for one dish and half for the other. Each recipe took about 15 minutes to make total and each has about 4 servings.
Skillet zucchini and yellow squash (I know, super original title!)
Ingredients:
- Half a medium zucchini, half a medium yellow squash, cut in thin slices
- Half a yellow onion, diced
- Minced garlic, 1 teaspoon
- 1 small can of yellow corn
- Olive oil 1-2 tablespoons
- Parmesan cheese, to taste
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil (to taste)
Directions:
- Heat up olive oil, once very hot, cook the zucchini, squash for about 5 minutes
- I like to layer the zucchini and squash and then flip them over after a few minutes; if after the total 5 minutes the onion is not transparent and the zucchini and squash are not looking cooked, leave them for a few more minutes
- While you are cooking add all the seasonings as well
- Add the corn after 5 minutes and cook until corn is hot
- Add the parmesan cheese (I used the regular green top kind) to taste, for me it was about 1-2 tablespoons
- Serve with your favorite protein – we ate it with salmon and brown rice
Zucchini and Yellow Squash Frittata (another original title!)
Ingredients:
- Half a medium sized zucchini, half a medium yellow squash, cut in thin slices
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon half and half
- Shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley to taste
- Olive oil 1-2 tablespoons
Directions:
- Heat up the olive oil in an iron skillet (can also use non-stick if you like), once it is very hot add the zucchini and yellow squash
- Cook for about 3 minutes, make sure the slices are layered
- Beat the eggs with the half and half and the spices as well
- Pour the egg mixture in the skillet, add the shredded cheese, and cook until egg starts to get solid
- I covered the iron skillet after cooking the egg for about 4-5 minutes with a plate and left it on medium heat until the bottom was fully cooked (I checked every 2 minutes or so with a spatula whether it would lift up)
- When it was done, I flipped the skillet onto the plate and cut up the frittata into pizza shape slices
- They stored well in the fridge for 3-4 days. I heated a slice or two in the morning for breakfast using the microwave. It may last longer but I finished them quickly!
Let me know if there are other recipes you would like me to write about or share your favorite summer vegetable recipe below! Who says we can’t make delicious food that is both healthy, quick, and easy to make!