Parmesan Zucchini Dippers

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I never ate zucchini very much at all until I moved to Turkey. It’s such a fixture in the Turkish diet that I now eat it almost every day. In addition to being able to be eaten raw in salads, spirilized into a pasta, or soaked in a citrus sauce, zucchini is relatively mild in flavor and is thus very versatile in the kitchen when cooked. Baked, fried, boiled in a soup, or broiled, it’s hard to get bored of this vegetable. It pairs well with mostly everything! This recipe uses Parmesan cheese and oregano to season the zucchini and tomato sauce for serving in order to satisfy a pizza craving, without the bread, bulk and guilt. A pizza snack.

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There are so many reasons why this dish glows.

Zucchini: has only 36 calories and 10% of the recommended daily allowance of dietary fiber in just one cup, lowers cholesterol by attaching to bile acids and aiding in digesting fat, contributes to “regularity”, prevents cancer with its high antioxidant content, aids prostate health, is high in manganese (19% of the recommended daily allowance in one cup), lowers blood pressure, is anti-inflammatory with its vitamin A and C content, and prevents heart attack and stroke.

Parmesan Zucchini Dippers

by Aylin @ Glow Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 2 zucchinis
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil, enough to evenly cover zucchini disks
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • Dash of salt and pepper

Instructions

Begin by slicing the zucchini width-wise into 1/4-inch-thick disks.

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Place on a baking sheet covered with extra-virgin olive oil. Brush the exposed sides of the disks with oil so that both sides are evenly covered.

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The olive oil will help the Parmesan cheese to stick to the surface.

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In a small bowl filled with the Parmesan cheese, press both sides of the zucchini so that each has a thin layer of flakes.

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Just like this:

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Repeat this for each disk, one at a time, and place them back on the baking sheet.

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Bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until the Parmesan has melted and browned to a near crisp.

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Season with oregano, salt and pepper while still hot and serve with your favorite warmed-up tomato sauce for dipping.

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Enjoy!

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Bon Appetit!

xo Aylin

Soft & Crunchy

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Sautéed garlic and spinach atop toasted bread makes for a lovely combination. You get the creaminess of butter-wilted spinach and the chewiness of your favorite bread all in one. One very important point when it comes to greens is to rotate them. Overeating any one green can actually be detrimental to your health, since all green leaves contain toxic substances in order to prevent predation. Therefore, overloading on one can cause a build up of that green’s specific toxin. Rotating avoids that from ever happening.

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Spinach contains oxalic acid, which prevents the absorption of iron and calcium. Overconsuming spinach can increase the risk for kidney stones. In addition to rotating between spinach and other greens, which makes all these toxins completely harmless, cooking spinach helps to break down the oxalic acid, which stops it from affecting the absorption of iron and calcium.

Didn’t think spinach could be harmful, eh? Well, too much of a good thing…la dee da.

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Nevertheless, spinach is a nutrition powerhouse and truly glows.

Spinach: provides 20% of the recommended daily allowance of dietary fiber in just one cup, prevents cancer with flavonoids, has anti-inflammatory property, prevents osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure, protects the eyes from cataracts with lutein and zeaxanthin, provides 337% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A and 1000% of vitamin K, promotes healthy skin, and strengthens bones, the brain and nervous function. The implications of all its vitamins, nutrients and minerals on the human body are virtually endless.

Sauteed Garlic Spinach on Bread

by Aylin @ Glow Kitchen

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients (2 servings)

  • 2 cups of tightly packed spinach
  • 3 cloves garlic, slivered
  • 1 tbsp of butter
  • Dash of salt and pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of butter per slice of bread
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

Begin by removing the stems of the spinach and washing with cold water thoroughly. Slice the garlic into slivers.

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In a saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat with the garlic. Cook the garlic to release the aromas for about 30 seconds. You don’t want to burn the butter.

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Add the spinach, salt and pepper. Cook until wilted. The volume will reduce dramatically.

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Toast slices of your favorite bread. I used whole-wheat.

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Slab a teaspoon of butter on each slice (optional) and top with the wilted spinach.

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Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

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Enjoy!

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Bon Appetit!

xo Aylin