My darling dad helped us plant our first garden this year and we have been LOVING having all sorts of fresh vegetables, berries and spices this August. In fact, our zucchini plant is taking over our yard! Besides the tried and true- grilled zucchini and zucchini bread- it has become apparent that we're going to need some other zucchini recipes in order to utilize these baseball bat-sized veggies.
Earlier this week we tried out shredded zucchini and chick peas over polenta from cheap healthy good. DELICIOUS! And for less than $1.50 a serving- it fits right in the new budget. :) So if you have a zucchini plant taking over your yard like we do, or if anyone offers to give you some zucchini from their garden, you've just found a seriously fabulous way to put those suckers to good use!
Shredded Zucchini & Chickpeas Over Polenta
1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), ends trimmed and cut crosswise into 2" pieces1 heaping teaspoon of kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1⁄2 teaspoon olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1 15-ounce can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 scant cup of marinara sauce (we used a can of tomato sauce with some basil from the garden)
1 package of pre-made sundried tomato polenta, cut into 1⁄4" rounds
2 cups mozzarella cheese (the original recipe calls for goat gouda, but we didn't have any around)Salt and pepper to taste
1) Shred zucchini on the largest setting of a box grater. Toss with a heaping teaspoon of salt, place in a colander set over a bowl, and allow to drain, 15-30 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
2) Coat a non-stick pan with 1⁄4 teaspoon of the oil with several sprays of cooking spray, and heat over a medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until aromatic and starting to browned, about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini, stir, and cook through, about 6-7 minutes
.3) Add chickpeas, and cook through, 1-2 minutes. Add sauce and saute until heated through, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a separate bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
4) Wipe out the pan, and heat the remaining oil over a medium heat. In several batches, add the polenta rounds, and sauté until just browned (roughly three minutes per side). In the center of each plate, arrange four polenta rounds so that their sides are touching (or in a "diamond" pattern). Top with a light coating of mozzarella. Mound the zucchini mixture on top, and sprinkle with more cheese.
Approximate Price Per Serving $1.39
Calculations
1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium or 1 gigantic garden one): FREE
3 cloves garlic: $0.10
1⁄2 teaspoon olive oil: $0.02
Cooking spray: $0.03
1 15-ounce can of chick peas, drained and rinsed: $.89
1 cup marinara sauce: $0.50
1 package of pre-made sundried tomato polenta: $3.99
1 cup mozzarella: $.83
Kosher salt/pepper: $0.01
TOTAL: $5.56
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): $1.39
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