Zucchinis Gone Wild: Zesty Zucchini Quinoa Bowl Recipe

Zucchini_dressing_with_roasted_zucchini_and_quinoa

Oh, zucchinis. They are amazing vegetables, really they are. They are low calorie, high fibre, and full of vital nutrients, such as folate, potassium, and Vitamins A and C. In addition, as any gardener can tell you, they are easy plants to grow, with prolific yields and a habit of going from "not quite ready to pick" to "OMG this zucchini is gigantic" in 24 hours or less.

Therefore, if you have someone in your life who is a zucchini gardener, odds are you will be the happy recipient of armfuls of the lovely squash. If you are like me, and you have a mother-in-law who has an enormous vegetable garden, you will say, "Sure, I could use a couple of zucchinis!" and end up with twenty-plus in varying sizes and shapes.

This past weekend, I played "What to do with all these zucchinis?" and I made this delicious and very filling bowl of goodness. Did you know that zucchini can be made into a dressing? Its flesh is creamy and mild, which makes it a perfect base for dressings and dips. I added roasted zucchini, cauliflower, and mushrooms to quinoa, and used this zesty dressing to top it off. It was the perfect use of all that late-summer bounty.

Ingredients

For the dressing:

3 cups zucchini slices (2 medium or 1 large zucchini)

1/4 cup tahini

1 clove garlic

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon onion powder or dehydrated onion flakes

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)

Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

For the bowl:

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 medium zucchinis, sliced lengthwise and then into 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 - 200 gram package white mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

For the dressing, place zucchini, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, onion powder, nutritional yeast (if using), salt, and pepper in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Prepare quinoa according to package directions.

Toss zucchini, cauliflower, and mushrooms in 1/4 cup olive oil. Arrange on two baking sheets; season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping vegetables halfway through.

Stir roasted vegetables into the cooked quinoa. Add the dressing and toss until coated. You may not need all of the dressing—save leftovers for a veggie dip or sandwich spread.

Enjoy the bounty of the season!

(Yield: 4 large servings, or 6-8 side servings)

Dressing inspired by Dinner with Julie.

Want more zucchini ideas? Try my Scrumptious Grilled Vegetable Salad, my Roasted Vegetable and Rice Salad, or my Summer Love Salad.