What is your favorite food from childhood?
I'm sure for a while that thought made a positive and warm feeling as you try to recall it. Let me share with you a fond memory of mine and my story on how I fell in love with zucchini!
From my childhood home, it was a short walk to my Grandma’s. I made the walk nearly every day and could often find her working in the garden. Dah, as we called her, possessed an amazing green thumb. As a child, I got my first tastes of vine-ripened vegetables there. Some of my most cherished memories include carrying the bounty up the hill to her house to see what we could make with it.
My grandmother was a wiz in the kitchen but she had a tendency toward keeping things simple and not taking away from the flavors of the fresh fruits and vegetables that she grew. My first taste of zucchini was in her kitchen and I distinctly remember scrunching up my face in disgust as I gazed at the squash. “What is that?” I asked.
She laughed. “Zucchini! It’s my favorite. Want some? Here, sit.”
I looked at it uncertainly as she pulled a chair out from the table, but there was no arguing with Dah and so I sat down and dug in.
There, at that moment in her tiny kitchen, I fell in love with zucchini. Over the years, I have repeatedly made simple skillet zucchini renditions a part of my go-to meals. I’ve kept to the tried and true rule my Grandma taught me: Keep it simple; let the flavors speak for themselves. What makes this particular recipe stand out is the inclusion of mushrooms. Sautéed together, the flavor is divine!
This is a base recipe that is easy to add to. Throw in some left over diced chicken breast to bulk it up for dinner; or, warm the left overs in a skillet in the morning, crack an egg over top, and scramble together for a quick nutritious breakfast. Want to add some bulk? Fry up some diced potatoes or make steamed rice to put on the side. Need to feed more people? Just double it!
While it’s simple, it’s also packed full of flavor and nutrients! I hope you love it just as much as I do.
Quick and Delicious Zucchini Skillet
Prep time: 10 minutes, can be done in advance
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serving size: 6
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add onion (and garlic cloves if using fresh garlic) and sauté for 1 minute over medium to medium-high heat. Add zucchini and mushrooms, sauté for 1 minute. Add yellow squash, salt and pepper (and garlic powder if using). Toss and then cover for 3 minutes, toss ingredients half way through. Remove lid and sauté ingredients for 2 minutes more or until squash is tender and cuts easy but not soggy. Do not overcook! Remove from heat and add cheese. Cover for 1-2 minutes to melt. Serve up a big helping!
Jacqi Kambish, a Shazzy Fitness guest blogger, is a Christian mom to three lovely spirited children, one of which has special needs. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Bible Theology and Youth Ministry from William Jessup University, and is a contributing writer at Anchored Voices. She lives with her family in Colorado and enjoys reflectively writing about parenting, faith, and the joys and trials of life, while leaving her readers with hope and encouragement. You can follow Jacqi on Facebook and on her blog: The Presumptuous Ladybug.