Veggies for Breakfast!

8.22.12

Tired of having plain old cereal and typical breakfast items in the morning? Try making something new by incorporating one of our new, weekly ingredient picks into a breakfast dish. Our pick, Zucchini, is a summer squash used in many savory dishes, or as an accompaniment to a main entrée. However for these two recipes, zucchini takes over making each one a savory treat worth seconds.

The first recipe:

Zucchini Bread would be perfect to have a slice in the morning with your freshly brewed coffee, or for an afternoon snack.

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

The second recipe:

Potato and Zucchini Frittata, would be perfect to serve during an outdoor, patio brunch, or to your family on a relaxing Sunday morning. For those of you who are not familiar with a Frittata, it is an egg-based dish similar to an omelette, or quiche with additional ingredients added to it. This recipe contains potatoes, cheese, onions and other vegetables. However you can also add other ingredients to it.

Ingredients:

1 small russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 large eggs
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small zucchini (about 6 ounces), grated and squeezed dry in clean kitchen towel
1/2 cup queso fresco (2 ounces)
2 strips cooked crumbled turkey bacon, optional

Directions:

Bring the potatoes with enough cold water to cover to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook, over medium-high heat, until the potatoes are tender, 6 to 8 minutes; drain and pat dry.

Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, cilantro, salt, and hot sauce in a large bowl.

Preheat the oven broiler to medium-high.

Heat the oil in a medium (10-inch) ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 2 minutes. Add zucchini and cook until tender, about 6 minutes more. Add the cooked potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes begin to brown slightly, about 4 minutes more.

Evenly pour the egg mixture over the vegetable mixture. Cook, over medium heat, tilting the pan and lifting the edges with a rubber spatula to let the uncooked egg flow underneath. Sprinkle with the cheese and the bacon, if using. Broil, 5 to 7 inches from the heat, until the eggs puff and are just set and the cheese is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove carefully to a plate, or serve in wedges directly from the skillet.

We hope you enjoy these two recipes to spice up your ordinary breakfast meal into a delicious one! Enjoy!