Things Are About to Get Weird

Okay, I have to warn you that this post may get a little weird.

Right now we are up to our eyeballs in zucchini.  We are picking two to three a day.  I don't like the texture of frozen zucchini and I have an irrational fear of canning (more on that in later posts).  This means I have to figure out creative ways to use it (or people to foist it off on).

Since I am on a diet one of our major standards, zucchini bread from the Southern kitchen goddess Paula Dean, is not a regular option.  My family is also getting pretty tired of sautéed zucchini.  I do have plans for zucchini pancakes and stuffed zucchini but come on, its zucchini after all.  There is only so much of the stuff that my family will eat in a week.

Alright, now for the weird.  I had a rather unorthodox idea today for how to use some zucchini.

My husband just bought a Vitamix.  If you don't know what this is, it is basically a very expensive blender on steroids.  It is great for making smoothies.  For the last two weeks he has been throwing all sorts of things in it.  He's like a mad scientist in the kitchen.

Some of his madness must have rubbed off on me.  I made (and drank) a pink zucchini smoothie.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Pink. Zucchini.  Smoothie.

Pink Zucchini Smoothie

To make it you need:

• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2-1 cup milk (cow, soy, almond, whatever)
• sweetner to taste

Just throw it in a blender, blend the heck out of it and drink.  Of course, you can adjust all of the above to taste.

I warned you it was going to get weird.  You are skeptical.  I understand.  So was I.  I honestly do not know what possessed me to throw zucchini in a smoothie.  I must have been possessed by the ghost of Jack Lalanne.

Believe it or not it actually tasted good.  You can't really taste the zucchini, just the strawberries and bananas.  True, it is not on par with a strawberry milkshake.  But it is a great way to get more veggies and to use up some zucchini.