Easy Cheesy Zucchini ♥

Easy Cheesy Zucchini @ AVeggieVenture.com. Low Carb. Weight Watchers PointsPlus 2. Kid friendly!
graphic button small size size 10 It doesn't get easier than this! Just chunks of zucchini cooked in a skillet with lots of garlic and tossed with a little cheese. Low Carb. Gluten Free. Vegetarian and easy to adapt to Vegan. Weight Watchers PointsPlus 2. Did I mention, Easy Peasy?! graphic button small size size 10

2007: My mom added a big hunk of butter to every bowl of vegetables – except when she draped them with a slice of cheese. No wonder: butter and cheese are fast and cheap and reliably turn even turn-up-your-nose vegetables into tasty bites. (And if I'm representative, it also raises first-borns to be, well, vegetable-obsessed. But my sister loves vegetables. The real test is my dad, who didn't eat vegetables when he and my mom first met. Now, get this, he eats Brussels sprouts!)

So now, when vegetables recipes call for butter or cheese and the cook near-audibly moans, my immediate reaction is always, "Well, duh. Of course it tastes good. It's fat with butter. It's sticky with cheese!" But when Kalyn's Kitchen featured a cheesy zucchini recipe, my immediate reaction was, "I must make this."

And so I did, that very night, albeit with more zucchini, less cheese and fresh basil. And yes, it's good – really good – and spectacularly easy, which of course makes it taste still better. I also bet it's kid friendly, something Freddie and Alexandra of the Great Big Vegetable Adventure might like. In their honor, I re-name this recipe, "Easy Peasy Cheesy Zoosy-keesy-neesy". Say that, three times, fast!

2015: This is one of those recipes that really isn't a recipe, more of a reminder, really, just how good summer vegetables can be, so simply prepared. We're eating zucchini from the garden now, what heaven it is with just a little butter and cheese and lots of fresh herbs. Last night? For breakfast yesterday, with a fried egg over top? Gorgeous!

COMPLIMENTS!
"Alanna [you've] done it again!" ~ Rapunzel's Castle
"I was in zucchini heaven! ... it was perfect!" ~ LindseyPinzey

EASY CHEESY ZUCCHINI
aka Easy Peasy Cheesy Zoosy-Keesy-Neesy

See Kalyn's Kitchen's inspiring recipe
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 20 minutes
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin (see ALANNA'S TIPS)
1 pound zucchini, ends trimmed, cut in half length-wise (unless baby zucchini) and then in half-inch thick half moons
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (Kalyn uses parsley, any fresh herb would do, I think)
Kosher salt to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons grated other melt-y cheese (Kalyn uses 4 tablespoons mozzarella, I used one of those "Mexican" blends)

In a large skillet with a cover, heat the oil til shimmery. Add the garlic and stir to coat with oil, then cook for a minute or two, just until garlic begins to turn golden in color. Add zucchini, stir several times to coat with oil and garlic. Cover and cook for four minutes, stirring once or twice. Uncover and let continue to cook til done (slightly crisp suits my taste). Stir in salt and basil. TURN OFF THE HEAT. Sprinkle cheese over top, cover and let rest for 1 - 2 minutes til cheese is slightly melted. Serve immediately.

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
graphic button small size size 10 GO FOR THE GARLIC Kalyn recommends four to six large garlic cloves and loves the garlic that comes in a big jar from Costco. I used only two smallish cloves of garlic because I'm cooking with just-harvested home-grown garlic that's still fresh and 'wet' - a little goes a long way. That said, the garlic is really key so use more than you think!
graphic button small size size 10 PORTION SIZE I suspect that this is going to taste so good that while a pound of vegetables can be counted on for four generous servings, you might want to budget otherwise.



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A Veggie Venture is home of 'veggie evangelist' Alanna Kellogg and the
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© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2007 & 2015 (repub)


Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments

  1. OK, I read Kalyn's post last week, and now yours, and I've got all the ingredients in my fridge and basil in the herb garden that needs trimming back -- so tonight's the night -- I absolutely must make this recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the new title. I do agree that while it might seem like a pound would be four servings, this tastes so great that you'll need more than you think. I made the recipe for lunch and ate nearly all the four servings, except a tiny portion of leftovers, which I refrigerated and ate immediately the next morning!

    I'm making it again tonight for my nephew who loves basil so maybe we will have to try that version!

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  3. Wow, cheap, easy and tasty!

    Sounds like a great dish and it is in fact very simple ... Even I could make it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 08, 2007

    Alanna
    We loved the look of this - and will be trying it.
    Actually cheese and butter have been a god send when helping Freddie to fall in love with veggies...
    Thanks for this super idea
    Charlotte and Freddie

    ReplyDelete
  5. Recently, zucchini has become one of my favorite vegetables. Add some cheese...what could be better?

    Thanks, I look forward to trying this recipe

    ReplyDelete
  6. Omg. Will u marry me?
    I just started ww two days ago- and due to my addiction to sweets I have 3 points left for dinner! Aaaahhh! found this, and I was in zuchinni heaven! I was really tempted to add more cheese- but I was a good girl and it was perfect! Its nice to find a vegetarian ww support site so early in the game.
    Love. You.
    Seriously.

    ReplyDelete

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe, whether a current recipe or a long-ago favorite. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. ~ Alanna