If you, or someone you love, has a garden, you are likely finding your kitchen over run by zucchini by now.  Or maybe seeing them at your local market, like Quality Greens, has intrigued you to purchase some of these summertime beauties?

Do you have a need to find ways and reasons to use zucchini?

The ways to use zucchini is endless….   Let me count the ways….

Thickly sliced and grilled on the BBQ - add some sauce!
Pan fried - sprinkle parmesan cheese on top
Pan fried or stir fried with liquid aminos (soy sauce)
Shredded and baked into an amazingly moist cake
Spiralized and used like noodles (great for low carb and nutrient dense meals!)
Sliced thin and baked into chips
Sliced and eaten raw with hummus or your favourite dip

One of my favourite things to make when we have company, especially with zucchinis that are massive, like a baseball bat, are zucchini boats.

Zucchini boats - a meal in its self.  Scoop just the seeds out, add in your favourite spaghetti type of sauce with ground meat, tomatoes, spices, etc, and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake until the zucchini flesh is soft.  Slice and enjoy.  Even better the next day!

There are so many more ways to make zucchini based meals and snacks, but those are my top favourites.


Now, WHY would we want to make this veggie a big part of our meals?  So many reasons! 

First and foremost - they are delicious.  However, they are also nutrient kings.  Here are some top health benefits of zucchini.

Improves Digestion - with a good amount of water, fibre, and electrolytes, you can be sure you are supporting digestion when you add zucchini to you meals and snacks.

Slows down aging - with the ample amounts of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients you can be sure to improve how you feel and reduce pain and maybe even wrinkles.

Lowers blood sugar - due to the nice amount of fibre in these veggies, and really most veggies, you help to reduce blood sugar levels.  The fibre also help to keep you feeling full so the munchies may not occur as often and lessen cravings for high sugar treats.

Lowers inflammation - the rich amounts of vitamin A and C along with glutathione, helps to boost your immunity and protect you from inflammation. 

Increases energy - as a rich source of B vitamins, especially folate, a benefit is a boost in energy which can reduce fatigue and improve moods.

Heart health and good blood circulation - potassium helps to maintain healthy blood circulation and blood pressure.  The fibre can help with cholesterol levels.
Eye health and vision - again those phytonutrients like vitamin C as well as lutein and manganese found in veggies do many important things for our bodies, and eye health is one of them.

Whole foods can be a huge part of your toolbox for health.  Use foods to help improve areas where you notice function starting to decline.  Always see your doctor when you have health concerns.

I think you get the drift - these real and whole foods, like zucchini, are so helpful and can be used in many ways!

Enjoy your week, and your zucchini!

Thank you,
Lisa