15 Creative Zucchini Recipes That are NOT Bread

From moist muffins to flavorful & fresh dinner ideas to pies & tarts, put that overabundance of garden zucchini to good use with these 15 Creative Zucchini Recipes That are NOT Bread...

I don't know about you all, but my Facebook feed has been filled with friends & family posting pics of their very generous bounties from their home gardens lately. And these homegrown bounties almost always include a ridiculous amount of zucchini with an offer that they also happen to be free to good homes. ;) Now I like a good, garden grown zucchini as much as the next girl, but you can only bake so many loaves of zucchini bread in a month- am I right?

That is why I made it my mission to go out & search for some of the most creative zucchini recipes out there from a few of my favorite food bloggers. My only requirement? No bread recipes. In fact, I went looking for zucchini recipes that were anything but bread recipes.

I gathered up 15 of the most unique & creative zucchini recipes I could find. Everything from moist muffins to flavorful & fresh dinner ideas to pies & tarts. 

So forget the zucchini bread this week, and try one of these tasty zucchini recipes instead...

3 Ingredient Zucchini Brownies

These incredibly moist 3 Ingredient Zucchini Brownies are so easy to make, plus they have bonus hidden veggies... 

A visit to any local farmers' market or perhaps even to your own backyard garden will reveal that one thing is certain- zucchini season is definitely here and they are plentiful! :)

While I didn't plant any zucchini myself this year, I can attest that they can be pertained at both the farmers' markets and grocery stores for pretty darn cheap right now.  And cheap is always good. ;)

But let's be honest- you can only make SO many loaves of zucchini bread and batches of zoodles (have you all seen these??) before you are zucchini'ed out. 

So let's make something chocolaty, fudgy, and deceptively decadent with them instead, shall we?

These super simple and easy zucchini brownies were inspired by my friend Jellibean Journals' recipe for Life-Changing Skinny Avocado Brownies.  Both recipes have just 3 simple ingredients, but have only one ingredient in common- the boxed brownie mix! 

But both variations are delicious, fudgy, and are a fun  & easy way to sneak more veggies into your family's diet... ;)

Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread Muffins

These super moist & dense Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread Muffins are the perfect way to use up that summer zucchini...

I think by now you all know how much I love sneaking hidden veggies into the meals & sweet treats that I serve to my unsuspecting family. ;) I mean, it really isn't necessary for me to hide the healthy green stuff from my 5 year old daughter- she loves all the veggies. 

In fact, she spent her own money to buy fresh beets from the local farmers market last weekend. So nope, it is not the youngest that I have to hide the vegetables from as many would assume. 

It is my adult husband & my grown son who turn up their noses at most anything green or leafy.

So what to do I do? I stoop to stuffing those vegetables into decadent, chocolaty treats like these Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread Muffins I am sharing with you all today. And no one is the wiser (well, except for my daughter who helped me bake these ;) ). 

Blueberry Zucchini Cream Cheese Muffins

These moist and flavorful Blueberry Zucchini Cream Cheese Muffins are a perfectly tasty way to use up that garden zucchini...

This is it folks. These Blueberry Zucchini Cream Cheese Muffins are my very last ode to summer 2014.  Fall will officially be here in just 4 short days.  

And while I know everyone has pumpkin and apples on the brain already (don't worry... plenty of fall yummy recipes are on their way here very soon, folks!), I also know that everyone is still picking those end-of-season zucchinis from their gardens and snatching them up at super cheap prices at their local farmers markets and grocery stores.

Not only are these moist, tasty muffins the perfect way to use to up that fresh zucchini, they also happen to be a lightened up version of one of the all-time most popular recipes on this blog, my Blueberry Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins.  

Plus, this is another one of my infamous hidden veggie recipes. ;) And you all know how much I just love hiding veggies in my recipes from my husband and son...

Chocolate Banana Zucchini Bread

I have been going to great lengths lately to "hide the veggies" from my son (and ahem, my husband) in my cooking and baking.  My son will eat broccoli.  No problem.  But anything else green?  Forget about it.  My husband is even worse.  I could never get him to willingly eat broccoli.  Or anything else green.  After making a chicken casserole, I will find my husband's plate empty of all but the veggies he has pushed to the side as he navigated his dinner with his fork.  

I have recently discovered that vegetable purees are an excellent accomplice in helping me hide the vegetables from the two guys in my life.  Inspired by a post from You.And.Me.Are.We about Chocolate Zucchini Bread and my favorite recipe for Chocolate Banana Bread from Once Upon a Chef, I decided to combine the two to create my own moist, rich, chocolaty, veggie-laced concoction.

What you will need:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup white flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup of peeled, chopped zucchini- then pureed

1 egg

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Heat your oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a loaf pan.  Combine all your dry ingredients through the salt in a medium bowl.  Mix thoroughly with a whisk.  Set aside.

Next peel and chop 1 cup of fresh zucchini.  It took about half of a larger zucchini to make a cup.  Using a food processor or blender, blend the zucchini chunks until smooth.  

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.  Beat in the egg.  Then the zucchini puree.  

Add your mashed bananas and vanilla to the larger bowl, and beat to mix well.  

Add your dry ingredients a third at a time to the zucchini/banana mixture, beating after each addition. 

Once your batter is mixed well, stir in the chocolate chips.  Now, you can opt to leave these out, but why would you?  Pssssttt...  I saved you a lot of fat and calories by replacing a lot of the butter and eggs with pureed zucchinis and mashed bananas.  Go ahead and add the chocolate chips. ;)

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes.  Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick near the middle of the loaf.  If it comes out clean, it is done!  Once baked, let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes and then turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This Chocolate Banana Zucchini Bread was AH-mazing.  It was crazy moist and oh so decadent.  I have made the Chocolate Banana Bread recipe from Once Upon a Chef a number of times for my husband and my son.  In fact, they often request that I leave a couple of bananas to ripen just so I can make them this bread. :)  My son didn't notice any difference at all.  My husband actually had a piece and told me it was the best of this bread that I had ever made.  Hehehe... No, I did not tell him what was different about it.  In this case, ignorance is definitely bliss. ;)

My Chocolate Banana Zucchini Bread Veganized!

I am thrilled to have Sandra from Vegan Mother Hubbard guest posting on my blog today.  Sandra was my Blog Angel from October, and emailed me about doing a vegan makeover for one of my recipes.  I was completely game for that! :)  Sandra is sharing with us all her vegan version of my Banana Chocolate Zucchini Bread...

In October, I had the opportunity to work with Carrie from Frugal Foodie Mama, as part of Blog Angels. Being vegan, I still like to read non-vegan food blogs, because I get inspiration for dishes that I change and make vegan. The recipe today is a vegan version of Carrie's Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread.

I made a couple changes to the recipe, in part to make it vegan (soy yogurt rather than egg), in part to accomodate my pantry at the time that I made the recipe (I didn't have vegan butter on hand, so I used canola oil), and in part because I couldn't bring myself to peel the zucchini (so I used shredded, rather than peeled and pureed).  Here's my recipe:

Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large bananas

1 cup finely shredded zucchini

3 tbsp vanilla soy yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar. Add the bananas and mash with a fork or potato masher. Stir in the zucchini, yogurt, and vanilla. In a separate, medium sized bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Gently stir the dry ingredients and chocolate chips (if using) into the wet ingredients using a fork, until well combined. Pour the batter into a greased 9 inch bread pan. Bake for about 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack, if you can resist it that long. 

Foodie on a Budget: Summer Pomodoro Sauce

Summertime is often synonymous to me with a bounty of homegrown tomatoes and veggies. Whether I am pulling fresh zucchinis and peppers from my own garden or a family member's garden or picking up some locally grown beauties at the farmers market, it inspires me to want to create something beautiful and fresh to put on my dinner table.

This past Sunday was the start of another grocery budget challenge for me.  This time it was $5 for 6 days for 2 people.  After doing an inventory of my pantry, garden, and freezer, I concluded that I would only need to buy a loaf of bread and a package of shredded mozzarella cheese.  If you would like to read my initial post about this week's grocery budget challenge, click here.

I had a decent haul of fresh vegetables on hand so I decided that a nice pomodoro sauce was in order for Sunday dinner.  

What you will need:

1-2 tbsp of olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 a medium onion, chopped

7-8 smaller tomatoes or 3-4 larger tomatoes, roughly chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1 small to medium zucchini, chopped (Yeah, I know. The zucchini pictured above is massive.  I only used a small portion of it. ;) )

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

7-8 basil leaves, chopped

3 sprigs of parsley, leaves removed and chopped

1 tbsp sugar

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat your frying pan over medium heat.  Once hot, add the olive oil.  Then add the garlic and onion, and saute for about 1 minute.  Add in the chopped zucchini and red bell pepper.  Saute until the zucchini and pepper are tender, about 3-4 minutes.  Meanwhile, slightly process the chopped tomatoes in a blender or food processor.  Only blend for a few seconds.  You want the tomatoes to still have some body to them.  

Add the blended tomatoes to the veggies and mix.  Next pour in the balsamic vinegar.  Let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes. Mix in the sugar. Then add the fresh basil and parsley and cook for another minute.  At this point, taste your sauce.  If it is not sweet enough for your taste, you can add a little more sugar.  Salt and pepper the sauce to taste.  

Serve immediately over pasta.  

If you prefer a smoother sauce (like my husband does ;) ), you can let the pomodoro cool slightly and then blend in a blender or food processor for a few seconds.  

What is really great about this sauce recipe is that it is versatile.  Don't have a red pepper, but you have a green one?  Then use it instead.  You can throw in summer squash instead of the zucchini.  Don't have fresh tomatoes on hand?  Then use canned tomatoes.  Of course, fresh will taste better. ;) But being a foodie on a budget means using what you have on hand the best you can.  

I will be posting more updates (and recipes!) from my grocery budget challenge this week soon.  Be on the lookout for them! ;)

Baby's First Bites Towards Becoming a Locavore

A couple of weeks ago we started into our first little adventures with solid foods for baby girl.  I had decided early on in my pregnancy with her that I would make all of her baby food.  First, it is so flipping easy.  Peel, chop, steam, puree.  That is it.  

Second, I wanted to know exactly what I would be feeding my baby.  We exclusively breastfeed.  I have been making her food for her since before she the day she was conceived, so why quit now? ;)

I am fortunate that I have a handy electric steamer, and I did get a Baby Bullet at my baby shower.  But, you do not have to have fancy gadgets to make your own baby food.  A steam basket for one of your sauce pans, a good blender, and some reusable, freezer safe small storage containers will do the trick just as well.

Baby girl's very first solid food was zucchini.  I picked up some lovely zucchinis at the farmers market earlier that week.  Yes, I am already trying to cultivate a love and appreciation for all things local.  ;)  In fact, THE ONLY solid food she has had so far that has not been local has been bananas.  And well, last I checked we do not have a tropical climate here in the Mountain State, so growing bananas locally in Appalachia probably isn't going to happen any time too terribly soon. 

We waited for baby girl to start showing interest in solids before we started feeding them to her.  How can you tell?  She may watch you intently as you eat.  She may reach for food that is on your plate.  Or she may start grabbing for a spoon and putting it in her mouth.  This is when we knew that our little girl was starting to figure that not all food had to come from mama's tatas. ;)  I know there are several charts and little fliers you may get from the pediatrician's office saying you can start solids at such and such a month.  We just opted to let her lead the way, and at around 6 months she had her first bite of pureed zucchini.

She definitely approved of her first culinary tasting adventure.

To date, she has tried zucchini, bananas, apples, and peaches.  We have introduced one new food at a time so if an allergic reaction did happen to occur we could narrow it down very quickly to just the one food she has had recently.  So far, no reactions.  Although she does have a preference for zucchini and bananas.  Apples are not her favorite.  ;)

I am excited for when we can start blending fruits and veggies and start trying new combinations of her favorites.

But we are taking it slow, and enjoying this new journey with her...

Italian Basil Orzo Salad

I thought I would share my recipe for this gorgeous Italian Basil Orzo Salad with you all this week since it was specially requested by my mother that I make this while we are at the beach this week.  

Yes, my friends.  We are taking a family vacation and soaking up the rays.  

It is a MUCH needed family vacation. :)

But do not worry.  I will not leave the blog empty and sad this week!

I have a couple more delicious summer inspired salad recipe posts coming your way this week, plus a couple of sand & sea themed posts- they only seemed appropriate given my locale for the next 6 days or so. 

I originally made this Italian Basil Orzo Salad for our 4th of July cookout, and it was huge hit with my family.  I think my mother was maybe 3 bites into this salad when she said, "You have to make this while we are at the beach."

Of course, I will oblige my mama. ;)

I used a tomato basil flavored feta in this salad that I happened to find at my local ALDI.  If you cannot find a flavored feta, plain feta will work just fine in this salad.  The basil dressing is packed with tons of freshness and flavor...

Italian Basil Orzo Salad

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

6050495

Ingredients (6 servings)

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 slices and then quartered
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium sweet banana pepper, halved, seeded, & chopped
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced and then chopped
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (I used a tomato basil feta cheese that I found at my local ALDI.)

For the basil dressing

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled, smashed, & roughly chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Large handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

Combine the chicken broth and water in a medium sauce pan, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the orzo. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, stirring 2-3 times.

Drain the orzo and immediately rinse with cold water. Transfer the orzo to a large bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

While the orzo is chilling, roast your zucchini. In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini chunks, the 1 tbsp olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste. Spread out onto a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, stirring once about halfway through.

Once roasted, set aside and allow to cool completely.

Once your orzo has chilled, add in the cucumber, banana pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, the feta cheese, and the cooled zucchini. Toss together and then set aside.

In a food processor or blender, blend together the garlic, lemon juice, basil leaves, and salt. Then slowly add in the olive oil and continue blending until well combined. Pour the basil dressing over the orzo/veggies mixture.

Toss well.

Serve immediately or chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Enjoy!

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This Italian Basil Orzo Salad is just like taking a big ole bite out of summer.  I am happy to say that the sweet banana pepper and basil I used in this salad came from my very own garden.  I am looking forward to making this again soon now that I also have cherry tomatoes and cucumbers almost ready in my garden.  

Do you have a favorite pasta salad or salad you like to make when summer has rolled around?

Summer Market Potato Salad

Inspired by some gorgeous veggie finds at my local farmers market (and some fresh green beans from my parents' garden), I decided to combine all that summer freshness into one delicious and healthy potato salad.  Not only is this potato salad better for you (no heavy mayonnaise here!), it is also really flavorful and can be served cold or warm.  I had it both ways- warm right after I made it with dinner, and cold the next day and both were equally tasty. ;)

I have a favorite vendor at the farmers market for my potatoes each week.  They grow and sell such a unique variety of local potatoes.  From Yukon Golds to Cranberry Reds, and All-Blue to Russian Banana Fingerlings.  I am pretty sure my husband and I have tried just about every variety they offer by now.  Their booth is always my first stop when I visit the market.  I have to get our weekly potato fix before they are sold out.  For my Summer Market Potato Salad, I used a combination of their All-Blue and their Yukon Golds.  You could use a combination of any potatoes, or just one kind of potato.  But the All-Blues were just too beautiful to not use in this salad...

Summer Market Potato Salad

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

6050382

Ingredients (8-10 servings)

• 2 lbs potatoes (any variety or combination of varieties as long as they as smaller)
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 medium summer squash, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1/2 lb green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Fresh basil, chopped
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat your oven to 450 degrees.

Clean the potatoes under warm water. Cut the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch chunks. Place in a large saucepan and cover the potatoes with water. Bring to a boil and continue to cook the potatoes until they are almost fork tender. Remove from heat, drain in a colander, and set aside.

While the potatoes are boiling, combine the cut up zucchini and summer squash in a medium sized bowl. Pour a touch of olive oil over them and toss well to coat. Turn out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.

Now for a quick blanch on the green beans. Bring salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Boil the green beans for 3 minutes. Quickly drain in a colander and then plunge into an ice bath. This can be in a large bowl or sink filled with cold water and ice.

Combine the potatoes, squash, zucchini, and green beans in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, olive oil, fresh chopped parsley and basil, and cider vinegar.

Pour the Dijon dressing over the veggies in the large bowl and toss well. Taste your potato salad and add salt and pepper to your liking.

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This salad makes about 8-10 servings and is perfect for a barbecue or family get-together.  And since it is mayonnaise free, it is safe to leave at room temperature. 

Looking for other tasty ways to use up all those glorious, in-season veggies from your gardens and local farmers markets?  How about my...

Summer Pomodoro Sauce

Potato & Summer Squash Chowder

Summer Gazpacho

Co-hosting Mom's Test Meal Mondays & a Recipe for Summer Market Potato Salad

I am a busy, busy birthday gal today!  A co-hosting extraordinaire, if you will.  ;)  Today I am sharing a recipe and co-hosting with Jaime of Mom's Test Kitchen for her Mom's Test Meal Mondays.  

And now I will let Jaime take it away... :)

Welcome to week #6 of Mom's Test Meal Mondays y'all!! I'm so excited to have y'all joining me in the kitchen again! We had some amazing slow-cooker recipes shared last week! If you missed the features, you really should go check them out!!

I hope you are all having a great holiday weekend!  I hope you are getting to spend time with your family & friends and enjoy some good fun & food!  This week in honor of the holiday we are going to share our favorite potluck/cookout recipes!  And to kick us off, my amazing friend Carrie from Frugal Foodie Mama, who just so happens to be celebrating her birthday this weekend too, is sharing a scrumptious potato salad recipe with us! 

Inspired by some gorgeous veggie finds at my local farmers market (and some fresh green beans from my parents' garden), I decided to combine all that summer freshness into one delicious and healthy potato salad.  Not only is this potato salad better for you (no heavy mayonnaise here!), it is also really flavorful and can be served cold or warm.  I had it both ways- warm right after I made it with dinner, and cold the next day and both were equally tasty. ;)

I have a favorite vendor at the farmers market for my potatoes each week.  They grow and sell such a unique variety of local potatoes.  From Yukon Golds to Cranberry Reds, and All-Blue to Russian Banana Fingerlings.  I am pretty sure my husband and I have tried just about every variety they offer by now.  Their booth is always my first stop when I visit the market.  I have to get our weekly potato fix before they are sold out.  For my Summer Market Potato Salad, I used a combination of their All-Blue and their Yukon Golds.  You could use a combination of any potatoes, or just one kind of potato.  But the All-Blues were just too beautiful to not use in this salad...

What you will need:
2 lbs potatoes (any variety or combination of varieties as long as they as smaller)
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 medium summer squash, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 lb green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh basil, chopped
Salt & pepper, to taste

Heat your oven to 450 degrees.  Clean the potatoes under warm water.  Cut the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch chunks.  Place in a large saucepan and cover the potatoes with water.  Bring to a boil and continue to cook the potatoes until they are almost fork tender.  Remove from heat, drain in a colander, and set aside.

While the potatoes are boiling, combine the cut up zucchini and summer squash in a medium sized bowl.  Pour a touch of olive oil over them and toss well to coat.  Turn out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.  Let cool for at least 10 minutes.

Now for a quick blanch on the green beans.  Bring salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Boil the green beans for 3 minutes.  Quickly drain in a colander and then plunge into an ice bath.  This can be in a large bowl or sink filled with cold water and ice. 

Combine the potatoes, squash, zucchini, and green beans in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, olive oil, fresh chopped parsley and basil, and cider vinegar.  Pour the Dijon dressing over the veggies in the large bowl and toss well.  Taste your potato salad and add salt and pepper to your liking. 

This salad makes about 8-10 servings and is perfect for a barbecue or family get-together.  And since it is mayonnaise free, it is safe to leave at room temperature. 

How perfect is this for a cookout?!?  Thank you so much Carrie for such a great recipe!  I know y'all loved this recipe, so make sure you head over and check out the rest of Carrie's site!   You can also follow her via Twitter, Facebook & Pinterest.

So now, lets see what y'all are enjoying this weekend!

Just the reminders:

• Myself & Carrie would love to have you as new friends!! Please take a minute to follow us both via GFC, Twitter, FB, or any other social media you prefer ~ you can find my links in the sidebar & Carrie's are listed above.
• Please stick to the theme for the week and only link up your recipes that go with the theme.
• Please feel free to grab the button in the sidebar or add a direct link back to the week's party that you are linking up to
• And finally, go make some new friends ~ spend a few minutes checking out some other recipes that you might want to try out yourself & comment! Everyone loves comments!!

And remember, if anyone is interested in being a co-host for Mom's Test Meal Mondays, please email me at momstestkitchen (at) yahoo (dot) com! I'd love to have you!