Substitute ground zucchini for fresh to make delicious zucchini bread year round.
While fresh zucchini is harvested during the summer months, you can enjoy it year round in its dehydrated form. Zucchini makes a fine powder when dried and ground that adds nutritional benefits to breads, sauces and soups. You can purchase zucchini powder at specialty food stores or make your own by dehydrating sliced zucchini in the oven and grinding it in a food processor.
Zucchini Bread
Substitute ground, dehydrated zucchini for the fresh grated version of the vegetable in your favorite zucchini bread or muffin recipe. For every cup of fresh zucchini called for in the recipe, use three-quarters of a cup of zucchini powder. You should also add an additional quarter cup of liquid like water or milk to rehydrate your zucchini and make your bread moist and tender. Serve slices of zucchini bread or muffins for breakfast, snack time or as a healthier alternative to cake.
Soups
Add dried, ground zucchini to vegetable soups and stews. Add the zucchini powder along with the water or broth in your recipe. Because the dried zucchini will absorb some of the water, you may need to add a little more liquid as your soup cooks. The flavor of zucchini complements other squashes and adds coolness to spicy dishes. Try adding ground dried zucchini to curried soups, Mexican stews and zesty chilled gazpacho.
Raw Brownies
If you prefer to maintain a raw diet or just enjoy raw desserts, use zucchini powder to make raw, vegan brownies. Combine powdered zucchini with ground nut flours, raw cocoa powder, date paste, fresh apples and vanilla in a food processor until you have a moist batter. Spread the batter in a baking pan and place in your dehydrator for 18 - 24 hours before cutting the brownies into squares. Without any refined sugar or flours, raw brownies make a great alternative dessert for people with gluten, sugar and dairy allergies.
Pasta Sauce
Stretch your pasta sauce by adding dried zucchini. Make your tomato, marinara, Alfredo or cream sauce as you normally would, add dried zucchini at the end and simmer the sauce until the zucchini is tender. Low in calories but high in fiber and vitamin C, dried zucchini helps make sauces more filling without adding to your waistline. It will also add volume to your dish, making it ideal for serving a large group of people on a budget.
Tags: dried zucchini, zucchini powder, dried ground, food processor, fresh zucchini, ground zucchini, make your