Today, August 8th, we are celebrating a popular vegetable that adds versatility to many of our favorite food dishes. It’s National Zucchini Day!
Zucchinis are a small squashes from Italy that are derived from the Italian word meaning “small squash,” or “zucchino,” and are in the same family as two other popular fruits and veggies: cucumbers and melons.
National Zucchini day has also been referred to as “Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbors Porch Day,” reports WellCat.com. In light of an excessive amount of zucchini being planted, people were encouraged to assemble baskets filled with zucchini and distribute these baskets to their neighbors. Zucchini basket, anyone?
While we don’t necessarily distribute zucchini filled baskets on this veggie’s day, we do celebrate National Zucchini Day to honor all of the tasty dishes we can make using the green vegetable. Here are our top 10 tasty zucchini dishes!
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10. Summer Vegetable Tian
Ever wanted to try something different with all your veggies? Creating a summer vegetable tian combines all your favorite vegetables – onion, zucchini, yellow squash, potato, and tomato – in a healthy side-dish alternative.
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9. Zucchini Chips
Ever find yourself craving chips but you don’t want to consume the calories? Next time try zucchini chips! Thinly slice a zucchini, season, and then bake for a crispy, yet healthy treat.
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8. Parmesan Fritters
Revamp the term ‘fritter’ by combining zucchini, quinoa, and Parmesan to create a delicious super-food fritter.
Flavorful
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7. Lemon Zucchini Drop Cookies
These Lemon Zucchini Drop cookies are considered both a vegetable and a dessert, putting a vegetable-spin on a classic lemon cookie recipe.
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6. Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips
Mix chocolate into zucchini bread as a yummy add-on in EatingWell’s Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips recipe.
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5. Zucchini Lasagna
Lessen your carb load by replacing the noodles in a classic lasagna recipe with zucchini to create a healthy alternative.
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4. Zucchini Spaghetti
Combine zucchini, lemon, kale, and pesto for a yummy zucchini spaghetti dish!
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3. Zucchini Crust Pizza
Combine shredded zucchini with other ingredients to create a different take on a family favorite.
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2. Zucchini Muffins
Who doesn’t love a good muffin? Combine poppy seeds and zucchini into your batter to create a flavorful breakfast muffin.
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1. Zucchini Fries
We all love to indulge in fries, so why not make a healthy alternative? Use breadcrumbs to coat zucchini and bake until you have crispy zucchini fries!