Veggie Blog Weekly Feature: Celebrating Easter with our Locally Grown Vegetables

With many of us celebrating Easter this weekend I’m sharing some easy and delicious ways to incorporate this week’s Vegetables in your dishes whether you are cooking brunch, dinner or dessert!

 

For those of you that are celebrating, I wish you a very Happy Easter. I hope you enjoy cooking and savouring this week’s vegetables and recipes with family and friends. Reminder a happy life is all about balance, so be sure to enjoy your chocolate too! 😊

 

Recipes

 

 

Let’s start with Brunch…

Crustless Zucchini Quiche Created By: Kim Hardesty

A crustless zucchini quiche is a delicious way to utilize zucchini. This quiche promises rich custard filling, delicate zucchini flavor, herbs, and mellow saltiness from smoked gouda cheese - a winning combination.

 

Ingredients:

1 pound grated zucchini

½ tsp salt

6 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

8 oz smoked gouda cheese (or add ⅛ - ¼ tsp liquid smoke)

2 TBSP snipped fresh chives

½ tsp dried dill

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp white pepper

2 tsp soft butter

Instructions:

Preparation

1. Place the zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Thoroughly mix salt into zucchini with your hands. Let sit for 10 minutes. Grate the cheese.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F and set rack to middle position. Butter a 9 - 10 inch pie plate or quiche dish.

Method

3. Rinse the zucchini with running water very thoroughly. With clean hands, squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchini as you can. Place the zucchini into a medium bowl and mix well with the dried dill and chives.

4. Measure salt, pepper, eggs and heavy cream into a medium bowl and beat until frothy.

5. Layer ¼ of the cheese into the pie plate followed with ⅓ of the zucchini. Alternate layering cheese and zucchini until used up. Gently pour the egg mixture over the quiche.

6. Bake for 40-50 minutes depending on your oven or until the quiche is browned and just slightly soft in the middle. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature before serving.

7. Cover with cling film and refrigerate any leftovers. Reheat in the microwave or oven. Great served with a green salad.

8. Serve warm with a green salad, you can use this week’s mixed greens, cucumber and tomato to make a wonderful salad or see next recipe!

 

Spring Salad with Feta

Created by: Uncle Jerry’s Kitchen

A great addition to your brunch served with the quiche or add it to your dinner menu.

 

Ingredients:

4 cups lettuce mix

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

2-3 green onions (scallions) chopped

½ cucumber, sliced *this week’s tomato and/or green pepper would also be delicious additions.

Vinaigrette: 3 part extra virgin olive oil (roughly 3/4 cup)

1 part white wine vinegar (roughly 1/4 cup)

1 TBSP mustard (I used Dijon mustard, but any you like will do)

2 TBSP honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, add white wine vinegar, mustard and honey. Whisk to combine. While still whisking rapidly, drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency is achieved. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.

2. Place a small amount of dressing in a larger bowl, add greens and cucumbers and toss. If too wet, add a bit more of the greens and toss again. Each leaf should be “just coated”. If too dry, add dressing by tablespoons and toss again.

3. Place on serving plate, sprinkle with feta, serve immediately.

 

Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, and Zucchini

Created By: EatWell 101

These roasted vegetables make a great savory side dish that pairs well with just about anything.

 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb huckle berry potatoes, halved & quartered (depending on size)*

1 lb medium carrots, scrubbed clean, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 TBSP olive oil, divided

1 TBSP minced fresh thyme

1 TBSP minced fresh rosemary

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 oz zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 cloves garlic, minced

*you can also use this week’s yellow potatoes too!

Instructions:

To make the Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes Carrots and Zucchini:

Preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC) and set a rack to the middle. In a large bowl, toss together potatoes carrots with 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, rosemary and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet—Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

2. Toss zucchini in a bowl with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and season lightly with salt. Add to the baking sheet with other potatoes and carrots. Add minced garlic and toss everything, and spread into an even layer. Return to oven and roast until all of the veggies are tender and slightly browned, about 20 minutes longer. Serve the Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes Carrots and Zucchini warm – enjoy! ❤️

 

Creamy Parmesan Baked Zucchini

Created by: Katerina | Diethood

This Creamy Parmesan Baked Zucchini is the ultimate vegetarian dinner recipe! Fresh zucchini slices are covered with cream sauce and baked until bubbly and golden. Can also be served for Easter brunch.

 

Ingredients:

2 pounds zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices

salt for zucchini

2 TBSP butter, cut into small cubes

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup sour cream

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F.

2. Butter a baking dish and set aside.

3. Cut the zucchini into ¼-inch slices and sprinkle salt on each slice. Let zucchini slices rest for 15 minutes so the salt can draw out the moisture.

4. Wipe each slice with a paper towel to remove the salt.

5. Arrange zucchini slices in the baking dish. Set aside.

6. In a mixing bowl whisk together heavy cream, sour cream, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, pepper, and ½ cup parmesan cheese. Set aside.

7. Melt the butter in a saucepan; stir in garlic and cook for 20 seconds.

8. To the saucepan, add in the heavy cream mixture; whisk and cook until mixture begins to bubble up. WHISK so that the cream does not start to curdle.

9. Stir in ½ cup mozzarella; cook for 20 more seconds or until cheese is all melted.

10. Pour the cream mixture over the zucchini in the baking dish; shake the baking dish to distribute the cream all around the zucchini slices.

11. Sprinkle the rest of the parmesan and mozzarella cheese over the zucchini.

12. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

13. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

 

Zucchini Cake

Created By: Alyona Demyanchuk

A delicious addition to your Easter sweet table, add a twist to the classic carrot cake! This Zucchini Cake is like an incredibly moist carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting you'll want to use over any spice cake! Made from grated zucchini and carrots, these zucchini bars are then baked in a sheet-pan to more easily feed a crowd.

 

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup canola oil

3 eggs

2 cups flour (used half white and half whole wheat)

1 tsp cinnamon (heaping)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 cup zucchini (grated)

1/2 cup carrots (grated)

Frosting:

3 oz cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1 tsp milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions:

How to Make Zucchini Cake:

1. Beat the oil and sugar. Mix in the eggs. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients.

2. Fold in the grated zucchini (with liquid if using frozen) and carrots.

3. Bake in a greased 10x15 sheet pan at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Cool.

4. Make the frosting by beating all the ingredients together. Frost over cooled cake and cut into 30 small bars.

Notes: Chopped Nuts- use up to 1 cup of your favorite nuts. Vanilla Flavoring- can be added. Oil- use any mild-flavored oils like vegetable, canola, and unscented coconut oil.

This week’s red onion can be sliced thinly and served with smoked salmon and cream cheese for breakfast or brunch. The green peppers can be chopped, added to a salad or served with your favourite dip for a light lunch, snack or appetizer. Your yellow potatoes are perfect for your favourite mashed or scalloped potato recipe.

 

 

Friendly Reminder: Looking for additional inspiration? ALL recipes from the past two years are available on the blog for reference. 😊

 

Recipes curated by Lauren.