The history of the appearance of zucchini is interesting and so dependent on what is happening at that time. Many scientists are not sure and believe that they first appeared in Central America about 5000 years ago, but how exactly is unknown. But, of course, in Europe they learned about them much later, after Columbus discovered a new continent. However, there is another version of the origin of this nutritious product. She’s a little untrue, but very romantic. “Gift of the gods” – this is how the legend is called. Indian gods presented the product to the wives of the fishermen. “Sometimes men did not return home for a long time – they went to sea. And the wives who were waiting for them asked the gods to give food that would grow on earth. But so that it is tender, like fish meat, with the taste of seafood (crabs and mollusks), so that the sea has a color, as if flooded with the moon, and the skin has a dense, like the shell of a turtle, ”the legend says. An interesting fact: in the 16th century, only zucchini seeds were eaten.
The vegetable has medicinal properties. He is able to give a person a feeling of fullness, while he remains a dietary food product. It also doesn’t irritate your stomach. Doctors advise to eat them 200 g per day.
Zucchini is strongly recommended to eat for: edema, slagging of the intestines and the body as a whole, for the proper functioning of the liver, prevention of cardiovascular diseases, stagnation of bile, poisoning.
Composition: contains 24 calories, proteins – 0.6 g, fats – 0.3 g, carbohydrates – 4.6 g, sodium – 2 mg, vitamins C, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, phosphorus, iron, potassium.
What to cook from zucchini? Here are some examples.
Zucchini and rice casserole
A very light and hearty dish. The taste remains delicate both hot and cold.
Ingredients:
- rice (preferably long-grain) – the third part of the glass
- parmesan – 2 tbsp.
- hard cheese – three fourth glasses
- egg – 2-3 pcs.
- olive oil – 2 tsp
- zucchini (medium size), grated on a grater – 1 pc.
- onions – 1 pcs.
First you need to preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease the dishes in which you are going to bake. Pour rice with water (about two-thirds of a glass), and put on fire (10-12 minutes). Then it should be removed from heat and covered with a lid for 3 minutes. Fry the onions.
Put it in a large bowl and add there: rice, eggs, zucchini and half a glass of cheese. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the resulting mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese on top.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, watching for doneness.
Zucchini soup with tomatoes
Ingredients:
- zucchini – 800 gr.
- tomatoes – 500 gr.
- canned corn – 100 gr.
- garlic – 6 cloves
- rosemary – 1 sprig
- onion – 1 pc.
- olive oil – 4 tablespoon
- broth – 1,2 l.
- salt and pepper – to taste
Peel the zucchini from the peel and seeds, chop coarsely. Cut the tomatoes in half and the onions into quarters.
Put the zucchini, tomatoes, and garlic in a baking dish, pour over with oil and stir. Top with rosemary and bake for 35 minutes at 200 degrees.
Remove the baked vegetables from the oven. Peel all ingredients and set 3 cloves of garlic aside.
Grind vegetables in a blender to a puree consistency and transfer to a saucepan. Add all the remaining products there.
Boil a little, salt, pepper, sprinkle with herbs.
Saffron snails
Ingredients:
- snail-shaped pasta – 400 gr.
- cheese – 100 gr.
- small zucchini – 1 pc.
- pitted black olives – 15 pcs.
- parsley to taste
- some vegetable oil
- pepper, salt – to taste
Wash and dry the vegetable marrow, peel the skin. Cut the zucchini into thin slices. Season with salt, pepper and lightly fry in oil.
Mash the feta cheese with a fork, and cut the olives into slices. Boil pasta, add saffron to the water. Put everything on a plate and stir with the zucchini.
Zucchini with noodles and eggs in a pot
Ingredients:
- zucchini – 1 kg.
- eggs – 4 pcs.
- noodles – 200 gr.
- butter – 150 gr.
- cinnamon, salt – to taste
Boil the noodles and strain. Cut the zucchini into small pieces, add salt and fry in vegetable oil, without closing the lid. Mix with noodles, beat eggs. Mix the zucchini with the noodles. Place in a pot and bake in the oven.
Zucchini sweets
Ingredients:
- zucchini – 500 gr.
- syrup (any) – 1 glass
- sugar – half a cup
- citric acid – ½ tsp
Cut the zucchini into slices, cubes (as you like). Dip them in boiling concentrated syrup and cook until the wedges are transparent. Throw the finished slices in a colander, let the syrup drain and roll in the finished sprinkle.
Bon appetit!
Zucchini is very healthy. Their taste is different depending on what you combine this product with. It is famous for its useful qualities and is not huge in price, so the demand for it is always high. And the dishes cooked with this wonderful vegetable turn out to be amazingly tasty. And most importantly, the zucchini does not lose its medicinal properties because of this.