This weekend should have been called “The Weekend of the Great Zucchini Experiment”. I’ve been playing around with healthy versions of zucchini bread and muffins, created a chocolate chip zucchini cookie that we really liked, and got a bunch of other zucchini shredded and ready to put into zucchini casserole and whatever else I want to make or invent.
I’m thinking zucchini brownies are in order (no I’m not kidding). And zucchini cake.
There are several good zucchini ideas on Amy’s post here that were fun and inspiring (read through the comments!).
Here’s our menu for the week:
Sunday, July 19
Whole wheat zucchini bread, bananas
Chicken enchiladas, tossed salad
Hamburgers, watermelon
Monday, July 20
Simple sourdough pancakes
Tuna topped tomatoes, cottage cheese and peaches
Black beans and rice with salsa and kreme fresh
Tuesday, July 21
Fried eggs on toast, oranges
Homemade pizza, tossed salad
Beefy enchilada bake, strawberry-peach slushies
Wednesday, July 22
Chocolate chip zucchini bars, apples
Grilled cheese sandwiches, spicy avocado dip with chips, fresh pineapple
Popcorn chicken, fried zucchini, tomatoes
Thursday, July 23
Fruit and yogurt delight
BLTs, green beans, watermelon
Beef garden casserole
Friday, July 24
Peanut butter honey toast, cantaloupe
Creamy mac and cheese, peas
Tacos, fruit salad
Saturday, July 25
Breakfast burritos, applesauce
Leftovers
Grilled steak, corn on the cob, zucchini casserole
If I start looking like a zucchini by the end of the week…I guess you’ll all know why. Be watching for some zucchini recipes to be posted in the next few days! (Because if I’m going to look like a zucchini…I think you should too.)
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Visit Organizing Junkie for more menu planning inspiration!
Lenetta @ Nettacow says
I was going to bug Amy about this, but since you’re on the subject . . . 1) Do you peel zucchini before shredding? and 2) Do you squeeze the water out after shredding?
I’m about to try Amy’s chocolate pudding zucchini muffins. Those probably won’t show up over here, huh? :>)
Laura says
Nope you don’t need to peel the zucchini before shredding it…nor do you need to squeeze the water out. I peel and use as is. :)
Valerie Boivin says
I would love to look like a zucchini. I probably already do. The garden has been producing them like wild fire! My freezer is full of them.
thanks!
Teresa says
I think it is nice to fit in veggies were you can especially when husband and dd doesn’t like them. I tried something a few weeks ago and I used a chocolate box cake mix with some zucchini in it and it tasted great. You could not even tell that it was in there. If I remember right I put two cup of zucchini and didn’t put in the whole amount of water( it called for 1 1/4 cups and I only use a 1/4 cup) and added an extra egg to hold it together. I always enjoy trying to fit in more veggies.
Merrilee V says
Hey,
Would you let us know which of your recipes will freeze well? I am going to have an abundance of zucchini as well and want to be able to use as much as I can. Thanks!
Laura says
Of the recipes I posted about in this week’s menu, the following freeze well: Whole wheat zucchini bread, Chicken enchiladas, Simple sourdough pancakes, Beefy enchilada bake,Chocolate chip zucchini bars,
Popcorn chicken,Beef garden casserole,
Breakfast burritos
Jessica says
Oh, I can’t wait for some of your recipes! Please share your whole wheat zucchini bread recipe!!!!
Jessica
Josette says
thanks for all the great ideas. I just printed up your sourdough pancakes and cheesy enchilada bake. All your recipes I have tried always are crowd pleasers over here!
Kika says
I have a question about meal planning & snacks. During our school year, my kids have a 10 am snack; a 3 pm snack and a bedtime snack. Does this seem too much? They do eat their meals and are hungry again at these times but sometimes….yikes! It seems I can’t keep up with all the food consumption around here:)
Laura says
My kids eat six times a day like this too. I think that as long as they are eating good meals and the snacks are healthy…they are eating because they are hungry and need to eat! :)
Jessica says
Hi Kika,
I will give my 2 cents here too…We do a 10 am & 3 pm snack here @ our house year round. The 10 am is a fresh fruit snack & the 3 pm is our homemade yogurt. We add in maple syrup & fruit to it! All my kids love it. We don’t do a night snack..the kids seem to stay full from supper, but they are ready for breakfast first thing in the morning!
Hope that helps!
Jessica
Em says
Oatmeal raisin “zookies” (zucchini cookies) are a summertime favorite here. We don’t have zucchini ready to come out of the garden yet, but I cannot wait. I may dig into my freezer stash while we wait for MI weather to be nicer to the garden.
Kika says
Yes! I appreciate knowing what works in other families. I want to add that I currently have a 13 yo son with an insatiable appetite and wonder if this changes things?
Becca says
I am surprised every time I see enchiladas on someone new’s blog. I didn’t know they were so popular!
Jessica says
Hi Kika,
I have 6 children 10 year – 1 year old & as I said we do the 2 snacks. I think a 10 am & 3 pm work great for us. Your sons age could probably be why he needs a night snack too. If he is hungry he must need to eat. I don’t know if you eat whole grains but that really does help keep the tummy fuller. I know before we started eating healthier 1o years ago I got more hungry on white carbs faster than I do on whole wheat.
Kika says
Thanks so much for your input, Jessica. Yes, we eat whole grains and I do bake but use spelt flour, oats, seeds, etc… to keep things healthy. My son’s appetite amazes me and it is hard to imagine how my parents raised 5 teenage boys at the same time!!! My mom passed away or I’d be asking her these questions :) I really like your idea of making homemade yogurt/fruit a regular snack. I am making my first batch of crockpot yogurt today so I’ll see how it goes and maybe incorporate that into my regular snack arsenal.
Dddiva says
We tried zuke breads for the first time this week with meh results. Going to keep experimenting til we find some good ones though.
Audrey says
I just saved your beefy enchilada bake recipe. Yumm!!! I’m such a mexican food lover.
mamashortcake says
Please share that zucchini bread recipe asap..before they take over my kitchen! :D Love your recipes!