Here you are, folks! Another Meatless Monday miracle. I first tried calabacitas in Colorado last week, from this awesome restaurant, Kachina. They offer it as a side dish. It's really spicy so adjust the recipe to your taste! Here's my take.
Time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 zucchini
- 1 summer squash
- 1 small onion
- 2 red chilis
- 1/4 cup corn (I used frozen)
- 1 tablespoon shredded Romano cheese (or whatever you have on hand that will melt well)
- 1 whole tomato
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt & black pepper to taste
Recipe:
- Dice the zucchini, squash, tomatoes & onion.
- In a medium skillet, heat the butter. Chop the chili peppers into little slices.
- Then add the onion when the butter is slightly melted.
- Sauté the onion for 1 min before adding in the chilis.
- Once the onion is slightly golden, add in the corn, tomatoes, squash & zuchini. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
- Stir to combine then cover the pan, leaving the heat on low. You should check on it & stir every so often so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
- After about 10 mins, remove the cover & turn off the heat (the squash & zucchini should be cooked but not mushy).
- With the heat off, sprinkle some cheese & stir it in while it melts. This will help offset the spiciness of the chilis & also give the calabacitas a creamy taste.
Serve as a side dish or in tacos as a veggie filling!
How many of you are jumping on the spaghetti squash bandwagon? It's wonderful until you sadly realize that it's never really going to have the same flavor profile as spaghetti. I started experimenting ways to make spaghetti squash pop on its own. Think fresh ginger slices, coriander & cumin, tossed with crunchy bites of zucchini... yes, you need this recipe!
Time: 15 mins + time to soften/bake the spaghetti squash
Ingredients:
- Filling from 1 spaghetti squash, seeds removed
- 1 zucchini
- 1 small piece fresh ginger (~ 2" length)
- 1.5 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- Salt/pepper to taste
Recipe:
- Peel & dice the zucchini into small cubes.
- Peel the outter skin off of the ginger & slice it into thin strips.
- In a medium frying pan, heat oil to medium heat & add the zucchini, ginger, cumin, & coriander.
- Toss for a few minutes (~3) so the ginger infuses the zucchini.
- Add spaghetti squash, salt & pepper. Toss to incorporate all ingredients.
- Enjoy cool or warm, up to you!
Creamy with a kick! Hot habanero peppers, fresh garlic, meaty shrimp, young zucchini & tomatoes...I'm hungry again just thinking about it! This quick lunch recipe can serve as a dinner, snack, or appetizer too.
Time: 20 min
Ingredients:
- ~10-15 large shrimp (peeled & deveined)
- 5 garlic cloves (smashed)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 small zucchini sliced into thin rounds
- handful of cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 habanero pepper sliced thin (or more if you like it really spicy!)
- Salt/pepper to taste
- 3 broadleaf thyme leaves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon EVOO
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Recipe:
- Squeeze 1/2 lemon juice all over the shrimp.
- Heat EVOO to medium heat in a large pan, then add the garlic & thyme.
- Throw in shrimp and the rest of the lemon juice. Cook for 2 mins on each side.
- Add the habanero & zucchini slices halfway through, with a tablespoon of butter.
- Add cherry tomatoes & sprinkle on salt & pepper.
- Turn off the heat, pour mayonnaise over the ingredients & mix until well-coated.
- Enjoy over egg noodles, rice, or with steamed veggies! This would also go great in a sandwich.
