Once I drove into the "parking lot"...NOT!...it was a gravel-ish lane of sorts that had no obvious parking places and was surrounded by giant rocks and slabs and really old, beater cars, completely cut off from the safe view of the highway by the 'greenhouse-like' structure. I got out of the car, asked if I could leave my car right there and walked in to look at their plants. (It was about this point that I questioned my sanity...I could be walking into a very sketchy situation....)
The owner (?) followed me in after a minute to see if I needed help...and he was a lot less 'kempt' than I am used to in a business owner, but as nice and helpful as the day is long. And with a Texas accent so thick that I resorted to smiling and nodding a couple of times because I knew it would be no use to ask him to repeat himself...I wouldn't have been able to understand him! Anyway, he was helpful and enthusiastic and completely knowledgeable about his plants, so who really cares about the fact that he wasn't exactly polished?
I am filling all my backyard pots with fresh herbs this summer because why pay for them at the market when you can grow them in your own backyard?! All of these herbs were marked $1.50 - which is a great deal in my experience, so I asked the question "are all your herbs $1.50?" to which Super Helpful Guy responded..."Naaahhhh, 50 cents....theys all overgrown since lassss week and then something too Texan for me to understand." I specifically asked about basil and he said he had 2 other varieties "out back"...and he disappeared and returned with basil, lemongrass and chives since they weren't 'on display'. Needless to say, I bought 18 "overgrown" herb plants and a dozen beautiful annuals (for 75 cents each!)! If I'd had more room in my car (the back seat was full of coolers from deliveries, which were full of great deals from HEB which was on my delivery route...can you say red seedless grapes for 88 cents a pound???? Shut UP!)
Anyway, my point was...and is...I have issues resisting a bargain!
Which explains why I have 10 zucchini in my produce drawer....5 for a dollar at the farmer's market...so I bought 10. I am a mess!
And now I must cook them. I am going to make another pan of my Zucchini Brownies and try a new zucchini pizza crust (we'll see!), but today I had to make something from my childhood. Zucchini Fritters. Daddy called them Zucchini Cakes and they were full of AP flour and cheese and smothered in Ranch dressing right out of the bottle! But they were something we had every summer when those brown paper bags of garden zucchini started showing up at our house.
It's a beautiful day outside, feels just like summer and I have 10 zucchini...of course I need to make Zucchini Fritters. I'm also kind of obsessed with SO Delicious Coconut "Yogurt"and try and find a way to work it into everything I'm cooking right now! I have missed yogurt for sauces and dips and smoothies and this unsweetened, dairy-free alternative has the tang and the texture and the zing of regular unsweetened plain yogurt. If I see it, I buy it...and yes, it was on sale at Sprout's last week so I bought two!!!!
That means a Coconut "Yogurt" Lemon Dill Drizzle!
The process was incredibly simple, it ticked a couple of my mandatory boxes (using turmeric, garlic and some of my new fresh (50 cents each) herbs) and they were SOOOOOOOO good!
Here's how you make them....this recipe makes 8 fritters
Zucchini Fritters
2 medium zucchini
2 large eggs
1 t sea salt
1 t turmeric
1/2 t onion powder (or you could grate in a bit of onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch red pepper flake
few grinds of fresh black pepper
3 T coconut flour (you may need to add a bit more depending on how much water gets left in the zucchini)
Avocado oil and ghee for frying (approximately 1 T each)
Grate the zucchini onto paper towels and then blot or squeeze out the excess water. Place grated zucchini in a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. The mixture should hold together in a damp ball (no water dripping out...if it's too wet, add more coconut flour a little bit at a time - leaving a few minutes for the coconut flour to absorb the moisture...be patient!)
Make 8 equal balls of the mixture (should be about 1/4 -1/3 cup each) and flatten them into patties.
Melt 1/2 of each avocado oil and ghee in a non-stick pan (I fried mine in two batches, so I split the oils up) over medium high heat. Add half the patties and fry until golden brown (be careful they don't burn, but also that you don't try and flip them too soon ...they will fall apart)...mine took about 4 minutes on the first side. Flip and brown the other side. Turn the heat down to medium and continue to flip and brown the fritters until they are firm and your desired color on both sides.
Transfer the fritters to a plate lined with paper toweling to absorb any excess oil.
While the fritters are cooling, you can make the Lemon Dill Sauce.
Coconut "Yogurt" Lemon Dill Sauce
1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt Alternative, Plain or Regular flavor
Juice of 1 small lemon
1 t finely chopped fresh dill
1 t sea salt
few grinds of black pepper
1 1/2 t organic dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, finely minced
*This makes a drizzle or thinner sauce...if you prefer a thicker 'dollop', add 1 heaping T of cold coconut cream
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and serve over the warm fritters.
Enjoy!
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