Apparently I have a liking for zucchini recipes. Over the past ten or so years I’ve created about twenty zucchini recipes. Looking through the assortment, I thought this was the best to pair with Tuesday’s zucchini recipe, as it has the common thread of simplicity. When it’s been a busy day and you need a quick-to-make side or you want a fast, healthy, and vegetarian lunch, this recipe will work. Season it as much as you see fit, adding spice as your palate dictates. Then sit back and enjoy your yummy serving of zucchini.
Read on to learn more about this recipe originally published in August 2014.
We don’t have a garden at our house, at least not a vegetable garden. We have a small herb garden, and we have a decent amount of blackberry bushes. But that’s it. We have had gardens in the past, but over the past few years we’ve taken to traveling more in the summer. What we learned is that traveling (even for short three or four day trips) can be detrimental to the garden. So, rather than worrying about hiring a caretaker for the garden, we’ve decided to buy our produce.
About the time that we stopped gardening, a road-side vegetable stand popped up. We do live next door to a farm, which is a good source of local produce, but this stand is fabulous. He sells both cucumbers and zucchini at the ridiculous price of three for a dollar. Three decently sized zucchinis for a dollar? That is an amazing bargain!
Our kitchen counters aren’t overflowing with dozens of zucchini from our garden, but I do stop by the produce stand a couple times a week. I want to get as much local produce as I can while it is available. Quite often I am a creature of habit. If I am working from home and have zucchini available, I usually make a quick batch of zucchini cakes for lunch. For dinner side dishes I like to add a bit of variety. I have served them grilled, sautéed, stir-fried, stuffed, and made into fries.
Recently I wanted to try and put a different spin on the zucchini as it was accompanying quesadillas. While it had hints of a Mexican side dish, I kept it on the mild side. A bit of hot sauce or red pepper flakes could add a nice kick of heat for those of you who prefer that. Simple side or lunch needed? This Mexican zucchini fits the bill.
- 1 medium zucchini, stem removed
- Olive oil/cooking spray
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper
- Cut zucchini into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium skilled.
- Add just enough oil to coat bottom of pan or spray pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add zucchini and onion, and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until al dente.
- Sprinkle chili and garlic powders over veggies.
- Cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly so that the spices are well distributed.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately.
