Getting Back Into The Groove

Or maybe it's more of a rut? I guess that depends on your perspective (or in how you choose to regard your life).

In any case, I'm home and the garden is progressing into the over-productive phase. There aren't so many weeds to pull since what I've planted is now big enough to edge out any weeds that have the temerity to attempt to eke out their own little space in the sun. It's raining as I write this (Saturday evening - we don't do demolition derbies as all three daughters managed to demolish a vehicle), so there may be weeds gaining a toehold right now. This is the time of year I refer to my garden as "the jungle."

The scarlet runner beans have grown up their fence, and from there onto the netting over the peas. They've crushed it down which has caused the basting I did between the two types of netting to split. That's allowed the birds access to the second growth of peas. There is still an abundance of scarlet blooms on those vines, as well as beans that are up to a foot long. Supposedly those beans are edible. I just let them dry out and save the huge beans for seed. Alongside the other fence bordering the peas, the gladiolus bulbs are producing huge spikes of blossoms. I'm enjoying bouquets of riotous color in the house. I just wish they'd space out their blooming.

I cannot keep up with the Swiss chard. There are a few outliers trying to go to seed, which is unusual for that plant. I pull them as I notice them. Most of the leaf lettuces bolted and have been pulled to prevent them going to seed. The green beans are in a slight hiatus, for which I'm grateful. I just wanted enough fresh for a few meals. I've given a lot away. There are too many beets out there, too. I can leave the carrots, potatoes, & onions for now. Soon I'll have too many tomatoes as well as corn.

So, enough whining about having too much garden. Let's get to those zucchini recipes I alluded to last week. These have both been tested and are definitely keepers. Zucchini is versatile - you can have it healthy or as a sweet. Let's do healthy first:

Low-Cal Tomato/Feta/Zucchini Pasta

12 oz cherry tomatoes

4 oz block feta, divided

2 cloves garlic, left whole

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/8 C fresh basil, chopped

4 medium zucchini, spiralized

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a 9x9" baking dish in the center. Heat oven to 400°. Place half the feta in the center of the dish, reserving the other half. Arrange tomatoes around the cheese. Add the garlic, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bake 30 minutes. Leave oven on. Lay the zucchini on the rimmed sheet, surrounding the tomato dish. Season with salt & pepper. Return to oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Discard garlic. Mix zucchini with tomatoes & feta. Crumble remaining feta on top, then top with basil. Serve hot.

I used smaller amounts since I knew Dennis wouldn't be helping me eat this at all. My feta was pre-crumbled. I don't think that hurt the results at all. I don't have a spiralizer, so I just sliced the zucchini lengthwise into thin strips while the tomatoes baked. I love garlic, so I'd chopped mine up and left it in instead of discarding it. Now for sweet:

Lemon Zucchini Cake

1 1/2 C sugar

3/4 C vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 Tbl lemon zest

1/4 C lemon juice

1 tsp lemon extract

2 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 C shredded zucchini

Frosting: 2 C powdered sugar, 2 Tbl lemon juice, 1 Tbl lemon zest, 1 Tbl granulated sugar

Oven at 325.° Grease & flour generously a Bundt pan (or spray). In large bowl, beat sugar, oil and eggs vigorously. Add in zest, juice and extract, beat well. Add in flour, soda, powder, and salt. Beat 2-3 minutes. Fold in zucchini. Pour into pan. Bake 1 hour. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then upend on cake plate. Cool completely.

Whisk powdered sugar with juice until smooth. Add more juice if needed. Pour over cooled cake. Mix zest with granulated sugar, sprinkle atop frosting. Store at room temperature up to 3 days in cake keeper.

This recipe comes from Shugary Sweets. The author (creator) is a friend of our youngest daughter. They workout at the same CrossFit gym. I've subscribed to her site and get daily texts with links to her recipes. This one will stay in my recipe file, even though it's far from being compliant with my Whole Life Challenge food list. Sometimes you just need some sweetness in your life.

An online friend who's on my WLC team shared this recipe, which is compliant as well as delicious. I do like my overnight oats. I will say I think this needs more milk. I added it in the morning before zapping it in the microwave.

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

1 apple, chopped

1 Tbl coconut sugar (or stevia)

2 Tbl almond butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp lemon juice

Pinch salt

1 C oats

1/2 C nut or oat milk

1 Tbl raisins

Sprinkle juice over apple in a small pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring in nut butter, cinnamon and salt, 8-10 minutes. If using coconut sugar, add it at the beginning of cooking. If using stevia, add it after 6-7 minutes. Stir often. Spoon oats into 2 dishes. Top evenly with the apple mix, then the milk, then the raisins. Don't stir. Cover and refrigerate six hours or overnight. Serve cold or heat in the microwave.