The theme for Monday posts in July is Zucchini.
It has been said that the only time people in Lake Wobegon (fictional Minnesota town) lock their cars is during the summer… to keep their neighbors from leaving zucchini on the back seat.
Zucchini is the Italian word for summer squash and, for unknown reasons, in the U.S. green striped summer squash are called zucchini – all the rest are summer squashes, usually noted with their color.
Courgette is the French word for summer squash and, in most of the rest of the English-speaking world, refers to all summer squashes.
As squash is a perfectly good word, one can only assume that by giving them a French or Italian name they are meant to be more appealing.
As they are so prolific and ’tis the season, I am featuring summer squash recipes, starting with easy and getting more creative as growers get more desperate.
Click here to Pin Sautéed Zucchini with Balsamic Vinegar
PrintSautéed Zucchini with Balsamic Vinegar
This is an easy veggie side dish – use any color summer squash you have and your favorite fresh herbs.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Vegetables
- Method: Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini, about 8″ (20cm) long, sliced thinly
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbs fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat.
- Add whole garlic cloves and cook until golden.
- Remove garlic and discard (or chop and add back at the end).
- Add zucchini slices, sauté over medium heat until tender, 10 – 15 minutes, flipping and stirring occasionally.
- Add vinegar, herbs, and serve.
Notes
These are thin slices, cut with a knife – not paper thin.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 recipe
- Calories: 121
- Sugar: 3.7 g
- Sodium: 11.5 mg
- Fat: 10.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 1.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
And for bacon lovers: Summer Squash with Bacon & Onions
That’s it !
I’m just not a zucchini lover. I’ll eat it in zucchini bread, but beyond that, it’s just not for me. While this looks like it’s probably delicious, I think it’s in part that I don’t like squash and in part because of my texture issues. I don’t know.
It’s bland so you can add almost anything to it for flavor. It’s not my favorite, but I do like it to make soup for winter lunches. It’s a good base and works great for ‘a cup of soup’.
I will eat zucchini in everything but I am just not a fan of zucchini bread, I know it makes no sense !!’