My Favorite Zucchini Recipes: Calabacitas & Zucchini Quick Bread

Both of these recipes were handed down through my mom's family...

Narcissa’s Calabacitas
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound summer squash, sliced into bite-sized pieces
3 large tomatoes, diced
5 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
2 cobs fresh corn, kernels sliced off the cob
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
sea salt & pepper
2-3 ounces cheddar or jack cheese, grated

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, squash, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until start to soften. Stir in corn, tomatoes, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Top with cheese and cover until cheese is melted. Serve with tortillas.

Serves 4-6

Zucchini Bread (or Muffins)
(Funny enough, according to Wendy Johnson's Gardening at the Dragon's Gate, this recipe is shockingly similar to the one served at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center in the early 1970s)

3 eggs
1 cup oil
1 1/2 - 2 cups evaporated cane or rapadura sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour (I use a mix of whole wheat pastry, buckwheat, quinoa, and oat)
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cinnamon
3 cups grated zucchini

1 cup nuts, toasted, optional (I suggest pecans or walnuts)

Beat eggs light and foamy. Mix in oil, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Add zucchini and nuts; mix until well combined.

For muffins: bake in cupcake tins at 325º for 20 minutes. Makes 24 muffins.
For bread loaf: bake in 2 greased 9x5 loaf pans at 325º for 1 hour.
Cool on rack.

Variations
Eliminate the cinnamon (or not) and add ¼ cup cocoa powder and ½ cup chocolate chips.
For a lower fat version, replace 1/3-2/3 of the oil with applesauce.