Quick Lunch Series: Zoodles

After thinking about it for some time now, I finally cooked Zoodles and really enjoyed it. My original plan was to make roasted vegetable lasagna as I cooked my sauce, but considering the warm weather, I was loathe to turn on the oven. Instead I switched plans and decided to try Zoodles casserole instead. I conveniently had a box of frozen Zoodles ready to use! Here’s how I made my Zoodles.

Ingredients:

Sauce:
5 Roma tomatoes
1/2 onion chopped
3-4 garlic cloves chopped
some fresh basil leaves
olive oil
salt
cayenne pepper

Zoodles:
olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves minced
chopped onion (optional)
Cheese (I used sliced pepper jack)
salt to taste
some fresh basil sliced
1 pack frozen Zoodles (or use 3-4 spiralized zucchini)

For the home made sauce check out the recipe here.

Heat some olive oil in a pan. Add minced garlic and onion if using and fry for a few seconds till lightly golden. Add Zoodles and continue frying. If using frozen, continue frying until all the moisture evaporates. Season with salt and mix well. Spread out the Zoodles around the pan. Add a layer of sauce on top. Sprinkle cheese and continue cooking till the cheese melts and most of the moisture evaporates. Makes about two servings.

Sprinkle some fresh basil and serve warm.

Zucchini and Yellow Tomato Gratin

This is not strictly a Mediterranean recipe.

But I cheated.

May has been so busy, that I have been making quick, tried and tested recipes for that office day meal, such as a variation of the Cauliflower, Kale and Chickpea Curry pot,  Spicy Lentil and Chard Greens in Coconut Milk, Greek Chickpea-Mango Pasta Salad and more.

I picked up some organic yellow tomatoes from Whole Foods with a plan to try some refreshing new recipe. My Mediterranean cookbook didn’t have anything related, but pressed for time, I revamped my Zucchini Gratin recipe to use them. This one is a cross between the Summer Squash Gratin and the Eggplant Tomato Gratin.

Ingredients:

1-2 Zucchini thinly sliced into circles
1-2 Yellow Squash (Optional)
3-4 yellow tomatoes thinly sliced
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Bread Crumbs
Olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground pepper
a few red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a baking dish, lay out a layer of zucchini. Sprinkle some olive oil, salt and fresh ground pepper. Sprinkle some cheese, alternate with sliced tomato and squash seasoning as needed with oil, salt and pepper and cheese. Finally sprinkle some bread crumbs, cheese and red pepper flakes. Season as per personal preference.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or as needed. Can broil for an additional 1-2 minutes . Serve warm.

The fresh yellow tomatoes give a nice tart flavor to the gratin.

Quick Lunch Series: Edamame & Zucchini Wraps

Recently, during a flying trip,  I picked up some wraps from Starbucks as snacks. I wasn’t sure if I would have time to halt for lunch and seeing them on the menu, I knew they were perfect snack to fill in until the next meal. And I was right. They were delicious!

Since then, I have been itching to make them at home. And here’s how I made mine.

Ingredients:

Sun dried tomato, jalapeno and garlic hummus (BTW Starbucks used Edamame hummus & garlic and herb cheese spread)
1 Spinach tortilla
a handful of edamame, shelled (optional)
2-3 mini zucchini, sliced
1/4 red bell pepper, sliced or chapped
a handful of spinach leaves

To make wraps, lay out a tortilla. Generously apply 1-2 tbsp of hummus. Layer thinly sliced zucchini, red bell peppers, edamame (optional) and spinach. Drizzle some lemon juice. Roll into a wrap and slice into two or three mini wraps.

Delicious! I think the hummus makes the difference 🙂

See Also:

Sun-dried Tomato and Jalapeno Hummus

Roasted & Seasoned Zucchini

I have been enamored with baby zucchini lately. Not the least that I use them in my roasted vegetarian lasagne, but I was happy to roast and season them for a side.

Ingredients:

1 lb baby zucchini
salt to taste
smoked paprika
sumac
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice and lay out the baby zucchini. Season with salt, smoked paprika,  sumac and parmesan cheese.

Bake for 10-12  minutes.

Drizzle some lemon juice. Serve warm.

Grilled Ratatouille Salad

Ratatouille is by far my favorite one-pot dish. I love the myraids of colors and flavors. There are so many different recipes out there. All of them delicious.

This one is adapted from Marc Matsumoto.

Ingredients:
1-2 graffiti or Japanese eggplant thinly sliced
8-10 mini zucchini sliced
10-12 cherry tomatoes sliced
1/2 red onion sliced
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp fresh fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh basil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Layer sliced vegetables on a flat pan. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes. Or alternately grill until lightly golden.

Meanwhile for the dressing, add some olive oil, garlic, thyme,basil and balsamic vinegar and pulse in a food processor.

Layer the grilled or roasted vegetables on a plate. Drizzle some dressing and serve warm!

See Also:
Curried Ratatouille
Chickpea Ratatouille