Nourished not Famished

Real-life healthy changes, made simple and delicious.

garlic clove

Zucchini Fritters with Dipping Sauce, gluten-free

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stack ’em up and eat those veggies

Finally, you can hit your veggie goals!

The struggle is real. I get it.

You know you should be eating more veggies.

You know you should be feeding yourself and your household more veggies.

You actually like vegetables, but you feel like you’re working way too hard “selling” veggies to your kids/spouse/partner/roomie.

This veggie-loaded Zucchini Fritter recipe is your answer to delicious veggies that you and your household will actually be excited to eat! They’re easy to prepare, and any extras are perfect for a quick reheat & eat anytime later in the week. In my house, we enjoy these fritters at any meal of the day, or even for a snack.

Keep the shredding step quick and easy by using a food processor! This is the one I use in my kitchen, and I love it.

But wait, there’s more!

Yes, more veggies. . . you can make these fritters with a variety of different veggies! It doesn’t have to be zucchini. This means you can use up all of those forlorn veggies in your fridge that have been, ahem, patiently waiting for you to finally eat them.

Building a meal with fritters

When adding these to a meal, I typically plate them with some additional protein (i.e. poultry, eggs & egg white scramble, Greek yogurt, seafood, tempeh, etc.), and little bit more slow carb such as fruit or a starchy veggie like squash or sweet potato. The fritter itself is, of course, a good source of non-starchy veggies, but also contains some slow carb (from the chickpea flour), a lil’ bit of protein (from the chickpea flour and the egg), and nourishing fat (from the avocado oil and the egg).

This meal combination works well for my needs, but please do what works for YOU. Your individual needs with regard to protein, carbohydrates and fat may vary, which means you might choose to build your plate differently than mine.

  • Add to your dinner or lunch plate for a delicious, filling, satisfying boost of veggies.
  • Add to your breakfast plate to start your day with some veggies (we love them plated with Trader Joe’s maple breakfast sausage on the side, and some Fage Greek yogurt and fresh fruit).
  • They are easy to pack up for a portable, balanced snack.

And if you have a garden and you are STILL trying to use up the last of your zucchini from this growing season, this is your ace in the hole. Just keep doubling the recipe until you’ve used up your last zucchini. That’s what I do!

Here’s the quick & dirty on this easy recipe: (full recipe below)

what you need:

  • shredded zucchini
  • a few dried herbs, salt
  • some flour (I used chickpea flour, which is a slow-acting carb, and also happens to be gluten-free. Experiment with whatever kind of flour suits you, honestly. It’s all good.)
  • egg
  • oil

what you do:

  • Shred zucchini, salt it, let it sit for a bit, and then wring it out.
  • Mix dry ingredients.
  • Add whisked egg, zucchini, and dry ingredients to bowl and combine.
  • Heat little bit of oil in skillet, and pan-fry mixture by the spoonful for a few minutes on each side.
  • That’s it. If you want to get extra about it, you can make a quick dipping sauce, too.
Print Recipe
 Gluten-free Zucchini Fritters with Dipping Sauce
Course Appetizers, Breakfast, Salads & Side Dishes, Snacks
Servings
Ingredients
Zucchini Fritter batter
Dipping Sauce:
Course Appetizers, Breakfast, Salads & Side Dishes, Snacks
Servings
Ingredients
Zucchini Fritter batter
Dipping Sauce:
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine shredded zucchini with 1 teaspoon kosher (or coarse) salt. Set aside for ten minutes.
  2. Wring out shredded zucchini by bundling it in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and gently squeezing OR by pressing in a colander. Do not skip this step! This ensures the perfect texture fritters (instead of watery, soup-y batter that won't cook properly).
  3. Combine zucchini with remaining fritter ingredients.
  4. In a large, heavy skillet, heat oil over medium high heat (until gently shimmering). Plop batter by spoonful into heated oil. Gently smooth flat with spoon. Optional (but highly recommended): Place a spatter guard over the pan.
  5. Cook 3-4 minutes each side. (Reduce heat to medium as needed.)
  6. Place on a paper-towel lined plate or platter to cool slightly before serving.
  7. Optional: Combine dipping sauce ingredients. Serve on side, for dipping or drizzling.

Instant Pot Chicken Broth

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I’ve got nothing against using store-bought chicken broth, but sometimes it’s just too easy to make this homemade version instead (and cheaper than store-bought, too!). And nothing compares to the delicious and complex flavor of homemade broth. I will warn you . . . your taste buds will find it hard to go back to store-bought broth after they’ve experienced this homemade version. It’s a harsh truth, I know.

Fortunately, this broth is ridiculously easy to make, so you can give your taste buds the pleasure of this version without spending a lot of time and energy in the kitchen.

If you need a reliable roasted chicken recipe to actually have some leftover chicken bones to make this broth, check out my recipe for Simple Roasted Chicken Breasts.

An Asian-inspired chicken soup, loaded with garlic, ginger, and greens, and made with Instant Pot broth

Oooh, collagen!

Maybe you’re here because you’ve heard a lot of hype about “bone broth”, because it’s a source of collagen. Collagen is a protein, and is a main component of connective tissues throughout the body. It’s true that collagen does contain a wide variety of amino acids. And perhaps it’s a good nutritional strategy to consume a wider variety of those building-block amino acids than you would get from eating meat alone.

The bottom line, though on collagen? I’ll leave it at this: it’s complicated, and there’s a lot we don’t know for sure yet. I am a measured, evidence-based kind of gal, so I am not going to unjustifiably oversell you on the benefits of the collagen present in broth. Check out this helpful article if you want to determine for yourself if the current evidence lives up to the hype.

what you’ll need:

  • Your Instant Pot Yes, you can also make broth on the stovetop, but this version is all about the Instant Pot. I actually prefer to make broth in Instant Pot versus stovetop because 1) it doesn’t take as long, and 2) because the Instant Pot is so sealed up during the cooking process, the entire house doesn’t smell like broth. Sure, broth smells great, but I don’t like every corner, every bedroom of the house smelling like broth for hours and hours (as seems to happen when cooking broth on the stovetop). Maybe I am just hypersensitive to that, and it wouldn’t bother you at all. You do you.
  • Leftover chicken bones If you roast a chicken, or some bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, save the bones to make this broth. (You can even add chicken feet if you want. I haven’t gone there yet, but I’d love to learn from you if you have.) If you can’t get around to making the broth right away, feel free to toss the bones in the freezer until you’re good and ready to make the broth. Just thaw your bag ‘o bones in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before you start up your broth.
  • Aromatics In this case, onions, carrots, celery, and a little bit of garlic
  • Herbs and spices In this broth recipe, you’ll need black peppercorns (whole), parsley, dried bay leaf, and salt.
  • Cider vinegar The small amount of cider vinegar helps to extract the collagen from the bones during the cooking process. Cool fact, right? Fortunately, the amount used is so small that it doesn’t impart any kind of vinegar flavor to the broth. Whew.
  • Other tools needed Cutting board, chef’s knife, some sort of colander or mesh strainer to separate out the solids after cooking

Ways to enjoy this amazing broth you’ve made:

Fill with water up to about two inches under the max fill line. Ready to cook!

Print Recipe
 Instant Pot Chicken Broth
Course Soups & Stews
Cook Time 120 minutes
Servings
or so cups
Ingredients
Course Soups & Stews
Cook Time 120 minutes
Servings
or so cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Add chicken bones to Instant Pot.
  2. Add remaning ingredients except for water.
  3. Add water up to two inches from max fill line.
  4. Cover. Set valve to "seal". Set to Manual/high pressure for 120 minutes.
  5. Allow for natural pressure release.
  6. Once broth has cooled, use a large slotted spoon to remove the bones and larger pieces of vegetables. Using a mesh strainer or colander, strain broth and store in container until use. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

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chili roasted butternut squash soup

Squash soup = the quintessential fall and winter soup

click here to jump to recipe

Though pumpkin takes centerstage throughout fall and winter, butternut squash really deserves some time in the spotlight, too. My husband is an avid gardener, and this recipe was inspired by some butternut squash I harvested from our front-yard garden. The fall’s gentle, temperatures here in coastal New England extend the growing season a tiny bit, so we’ll be enjoying a generous pile of squash this winter!

For this soup, I paired the squash with the warm, savory flavors of chili and cumin to balance the squash’s natural sweetness. The final swirl of coconut milk (or cream) gives it a velvety texture.

I am a fan of any recipe that helps me save time in the kitchen. This recipe can be a serious boost to your weekly meal prep if you double it. It freezes well, so it’s wonderful to stash it away for a busy night when you can just defrost it, heat it, and add it to a meal with a lovely protein and huge pile of veggies on the side for an easy, nourishing balanced meal. 

Time-saving tips!

  • Use the peeled, pre-cut squash available at most supermarkets. 
  • Use a handheld immersion blender for the pureeing/blending step. This one is a great option. 

 

Yes, there is a safe way to cut butternut squash.

If the thought of cutting hard butternut squash strikes fear in your heart, no worries! It can be done safely (and easily!), without losing a finger.

You see, I love a good deal when I see one, and I hate spending extra $ on pre-cut squash if it’s no big deal to do it on my own. It’s definitely cheaper to buy it whole, and in purchasing it whole, you get the benefit of extended shelf life compared to pre-cut squash.

Well, here’s the super easy, safe way around that. Instead of attempting to cut a rock-hard raw squash, try this sneaky tip:

instructions on cutting squash safely

This soup is full of comforting, nourishing flavors and textures. It’s warmly spiced without being too spicy, and comes together in just a few steps. And I just couldn’t resist throwing in a few pomegranate arils as a garnish. The tart sweetness totally complements the savory squash flavors. Cranberries or craisins would be a great garnish, too.

 

And if you’re in a soup kind of mood, also check out my super-easy recipe for Black Bean Soup.

helpful tools to make this recipe

Print Recipe
 Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Course Soups & Stews
Servings
Ingredients
Course Soups & Stews
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a medium pot, heat oil on medium low heat. Add garlic and shallot, and cook until softened. Be careful not to brown the garlic (reduce heat if necessary).
  2. Add cumin, chili powder, and salt, and stir for one minute (until fragrant).
  3. Add cubed squash and approximately 4 cups of broth to pot.
  4. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.low for 5 minutes.
  5. Add coconut milk. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth.* If too thick, add more broth as necessary.
  6. Garnish with pomegranate seeds or cranberries if desired.
Recipe Notes

*If you don't have an immersion blender, you can puree the soup in batches in your regular blender. IMPORTANT: Check your blender's directions on how to safely blend hot foods.