Some More About Zucchini

Some call it squash, most think it’s dreamy, want to talk about zucchini?

Okay, for real. This vegetable gets A LOT of attention. Rightfully so—it produces like crazy. This week, I’ve heard stories of zucchini’s left in open cars, on front porch steps, and stuffed in mailboxes. I heard gardeners chatting about creative ways to use the plant, including giving them to children to do “surgery” or have a pumpkin-like carving party, and scoping out sections to become temporary bird feeders. I remember attending a yoga class where each participant was encouraged to take home a zucchini.

It’s a crazy prolific plant. The Kitchn dug a little deeper on the subject, and turns out zucchinis production is cyclical, so the more you harvest the more the plant produces. That, combined with the plant being so hardy it can thrive practically anywhere, means you can be in for a lot of zucchini each summer. I find that in a personal garden, one plant will do, or may even be too much.

So what do you do when you’re up to your ears in zucchini?

I’m not inundated with zucchini quite yet, but I am seeking new recipes. I’ve hit my classic summer time slump that has me yearning for a new cookbook, or new ideas. I’ve made a zucchini wheel for inspiration in just such moments!

To start, decide how you want to cook it in the center of the wheel (or if you want to at all. Raw zucchini is really good too, check out zoodles!) The category then divides down to general meals, and then down to ways to spice it. I find if I’m tiring of grilled zucchini, I’m actually just tired of my spice game, and so it’s time to change it up. Switching to teriyaki marinade instead of regular salt and pepper makes a totally different dish.

If you’re still looking for inspiration, check out Genevieve’s top three zucchini recipes from last week, or our Pinterest Page

Any more ideas? Got a great cook book to suggest? Let us know in the comments!