Zucchini

Why did I plant so many seeds?

I planted a garden this summer. It did not do well. The tomatoes were pathetic, the spinach was sad, and the microgreens that were suppose to be ready for harvest in 15 days never even sprouted. Everything I tried growing was quite sad - all except for the zucchini. The plants are enormous and the number of zucchini harvested this years has been insane - well over 30 so far. This weekend alone I picked eight zucchini of various sizes - two that looked like baseball bats along with six others that were big enough for the vegetable portion of the meal for at least two people.

I tried my best to use or give away all of these zucchini today. Two were brought over to the neighbors house and dumped at her front door (in my defense I did I ring her bell and she didn’t answer. So I had no choice but to leave them). I texted two friends trying to give some away. One friend’s response when I asked if she wanted some was, “Are you kidding? Neighbors are hiding from us. Good year for zucchini.” The other friend didn’t even respond. So with some of the remaining haul I shredded and froze three quart-size baggies (to add to the other dozen bags already in the freezer), made soup and muffins. There are still two zucchini on the counter!

Origins of zucchini¹

Botanically classified as a fruit, we often refer to zucchini as a vegetable². Zucchini has been around a long time - nearly 10,000 years. Part of the Cucurbitaceae family (pumpkins, cucumbers, watermelons, squashes), zucchini and other summer squashes are scientifically known as Cucurbita Pepo. Native to the Americas, scientists discovered seeds in caves in Mexico which proved that these vegetables were a key component of the diet of indigenous peoples living in the area. Spaniards brought squash to Europe (where they are called calabacitas). The squash then made their way to Italy where they were called zucchini. In the USA the name we give these squash today is a holdover from Italian immigrants who continued growing and eating them.

Why eat zucchini?

Here are some reasons why zucchini is good for you (and why when a friend or neighbor calls offering you some you should gladly take them):

1. They are high in antioxidants

2. They contain lots of nutrients, including several different vitamins, magnesium, and potassium

3. They help with digestion

Zucchini may also be beneficial for reducing sugar levels, aid in heart health, strengthening vision, and assist in weight loss. If you’re interested in finding out more about why you should include zucchini in your diet, click here.

What to do with all these zucchini

So now you’ve either grown and harvested a bunch of zucchini, or accepted some from a friend or found some dumped at your doorstep, what do you do with them all? So far here are the things that have been made with some of the zucchini harvested from the garden this summer:

• Zucchini bread - of course this is a staple for anyone growing the vegetable, isn’t it?

• Zucchini carrot muffins - these were delicious, moist and flavorful. And an easy way to get two vegetables at one time

• Zucchini rollitini - slice the zucchini real thin, pre-cook in the oven to soften, then roll up stuffed with a ricotta cheese mixture

• Zucchini lasagna - no pasta noodles, just zucchini strips layered with the ricotta cheese mix and other goodies like mushrooms and Italian sausage

• Gluten-free zucchini walnut muffins - I made these with coconut flour, and they came out pretty weird. The taste is ok but they don’t hold up like a muffin usually does.

• Zucchini soup - a puréed soup made with white beans, plain yogurt is added to make it creamier. This tastes pretty good.

• Sweet and salty cookies - made with zucchini (of course), peanuts, and pretzels. This are very good but they spread out on the cookie sheet and turn out quite thin and crunchy.

• Chocolate zucchini cake- this is a great moist cake, but my friend Sharon no longer makes it since another friend coincidentally developed kidney stones after eating it.

• Zucchini boats - use the small zucchini, core out the seeds, and stuff with whatever you like (chopped mushrooms, sausage, onions, chopped spinach, Parmesan cheese, etc)

• Zucchini fries - coated in a mix of panko and Parmesan cheese, bake or air fry, then eat with a creamy salad dressing like ranch. Delicious!

• Zucchini pasta - I asked a neighbor if she wanted two zucchini. She was so excited to take them after telling me she just bought a spiralizer at the ARC store.

• Roasted vegetable sandwiches - made with grilled zucchini and eggplant, use crusty French bread or a good seeded bread, add olive spread, cucumber and tomato slices, and provolone cheese. Delicious!

I’m sure there are other dishes I’ve made with zucchini this summer. I’m also sure there are a bunch of other ways to cook a zucchini, and luckily Google exists to find more recipes. That’s where most of the dishes I listed above made following an actual recipe were found. If you have any ideas for how to prepare zucchini send me your recipes.

Conclusion

So what have I’ve learned from this experience? As always I planted too many seeds, thinking most would not germinate. And truly, most didn’t. The three plants that grew are monsters and have produced a tremendous amount. Next summer, even if I say I’ll only plant one or two seeds I probably won’t. I’ll likely still harvest what seems like a million zucchini, try to give many away, and search for even more dishes to make with them. So maybe I just need to accept what happens when you grow zucchini and go to Costco and get a bigger freezer.

Update:

I just checked the garden and harvested yet another zucchini and saw that two more that will be ready to pick in a few days.

YIPPIE, MORE ZUCCHINI IS COMING!

Small eggplant, gigantic zucchini plants, and my sad tomato plants

1. Real Food Encyclopedia; Zucchini and Summer Squash

2. Fruits and vegetables comprise different parts of the plants from which they grow. Fruits come from the flowering part of a plant and contain seeds. In contrast, vegetables are the edible parts of a plant, such as the leaves, stem, roots, and bulbs.