zucchini Archives - Our Stable Table

I know. You just read “hemp” in the title and immediately assumed it was about marijuana. I GET IT. I live in Oregon, where it is now legal to smoke, grow, and posses these controversial little plants.

But that’s not what this post is about. Because I’m not about to touch that conversation with a 10 ft ~~bong~~ pole.

Hemp hearts. These are the shelled seeds of the hemp plant, and they are loaded with maximum nutrition. Back when we were trying to find new and varied protein sources for my food intolerant toddler, these were a saving grace. I mixed them with a little bit of raw honey to make them barely sticky, and gave my kid the spoon.

He was a serious fan.

Now that summer is squarely upon us, I have zucchini coming out of my ears. It’s one of my kid’s favorite foods so I planted a few little seedlings…and they grew. In fact, they’re mutant and grow as big as my head. Or roughly seven times as big as my hand.

We have to get creative to use them all, so I’ve been trying out different recipes using as few ingredients as possible to maintain the natural flavor of the fantastic zucchini, and to get them out of my kitchen fast.

I made a fast coating of hemp seeds, arrow root, a dash of tumeric, paprika and salt. They were a fast hit with my family, and we chowed all of them.

ALL. OF. THEM.

They went so fast that I didn’t even manage to get a good picture because they were so tasty and nobody could wait for a dumb camera.

Did I mention they’re paleo and vegan, too?

Ingredients:

1 large (ish) zucchini, cut into sticks
1/2 cup hemp hearts
2-3 Tbsp arrow root powder or tapioca flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp tumeric (optional)
dash of paprika
small bowl of water
Coconut oil for cooking

Instructions:

In a medium frying pan, heat 1/4 inch of coconut oil until hot. (Typically medium+ setting, but don’t let it smoke.)
Combine hemp hearts, arrow root, and spices and blend throughly.
Take a piece of zucchini and dip it in the water. Remove and lightly shake excess water off.
Press each flat side firmly in the flour mixture and then place into hot oil, flat side down.
Rotate the zucchini to get both flat sides nice and brown (2-3 min each side). Be careful not to burn them!
Place on paper towel lined plate to drain off excess oil.

Eat as soon as they are cool! These stay fresh and delicious for a good 30 minutes after cooking.

What are your zucchini hacks?

Zzzzz,
Carrie

My friend, Feather, is hilarious. She’s also kind of a genius.

We met when our babies were still safe little blueberries, growing fast in our bellies. I offered Feather my drink tickets at my husband’s office Christmas party. She declined, telling me she was pregnant. Then I got (too) excited and exclaimed “Me, too!” and thus a friendship was born. And then our babies were born shortly after.

Our kids, E and Rosebud, were born exactly one week apart and Feather and I have been able to support and love each other on every part of this parenting journey. We are often grateful that our babies conspired to bring us together, because everyone knows babies are magic and can totally do that. E and Rosebud knew we would need each other. They were right. Because Magic.

One day, when our babies were about 6 months old, Feather texted me about a new product she had purchased called the “Vegetti”. We giggled and turned into 14 year-olds immediately, and then spent an afternoon volleying inappropriate jokes back and forth between diaper changes and bottle feedings. Because new moms need lots of distraction and laughter, even if it involves bathroom humor. Maybe especially if it does.

Of course, I had to buy a Vegetti immediately. The Vegetti is a vegetable spiralizer and uses fresh vegetables, like carrots and zucchini, to make noodles. I experimented and played with it, and came up with a really yummy dish (and several more jokes) that satisfied me for several hours. It also provided a big boost of healthy fat and nutrient dense veggies, which I desperately needed. It was a fast, healthy lunch, and with a handful of cashews or some uncured ham, it was a complete meal for me.

*If you don’t have a spiralizer or don’t want to invest in one, you can use a carrot peeler and make wider noodles. It will work just as well, and create a slightly different texture. You can also add some shredded parmesan to add depth and a hint of buttery flavor.

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini, spiralized, shredded or peeled
1 medium avocado
8-10 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3-4 leaves of fresh basil, chopped or ribboned
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
sea salt and pepper

Directions:

Put noodles and basil in a medium mixing bowl.
Mash avocado, adding salt and pepper and lemon juice.
Add mashed avocado to the zucchini, and mix thoroughly.
Add tomatoes and stir until they are coated in avocado and well incorporated.
Serve immediately with fresh cracked pepper and a little extra basil on top.

Feather and I are still making jokes, supporting each other in the middle of our crazy times, and raising our babies together. We even had a mommy getaway last year and Cannon Beach gave us this amazing moment because it somehow knew we needed it. Or maybe our babies knew we needed it and arranged it with their Baby Magic. Who knows? But we definitely loved our wine and beach sunset. Kind of like you will love the zoodles.

Vegging and Vegetti-ing,
Carrie

Hemp Heart Crusted Zucchini Fries {Vegan, Paleo}

Creamy Avocado Zoodles {Paleo Vegan Raw}