"Cheezy" Banana Squash Fries



The Tell-tale heart. JK.



Good morning cyber-land!

I know it has been forever since I've given you all a recipe, but don't worry I'll make up for it in the next coming weeks. I have been cooking up a storm. Just not posting up a storm.

I don't know about you, but I am always trying to put more vegetables in my diet. Especially bright, colorful super food vegetables.

Banana Squash

Have you ever eaten a banana squash? Yeah, neither had I till a couple of weeks ago. My local produce vendor was offering french fry cut banana squash. Instead of frying, I wanted to bake it to crispiness. I also wanted it to taste slightly cheesy without the added calories of cheese. Nutritional yeast worked perfectly!
This dish is a great source of vitamins and minerals. Banana squash is high in beta-carotene, Vitamin C, manganese, and potassium. The nutritional yeast is chockful of the B vitamins. Grape seed oil is a natural anti-inflammatory, is high in essential fatty acids, low in saturated fat, cholesterol free, and is high in phenols which protect our cells against free radicals. Muy Buono if you ask me!




Prep.



"Cheezy" Banana Squash Fries

1 lb French Fry cut Banana Squash
2 Tbs Grape seed Oil
3 Tbs Nutritional Yeast
1 tsp Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Toss the fries with the oil, salt, and yeast. Spread out in an even layer and bake for 15 minutes.
4. Flip, bake for 15 more minutes.
5. Flip again, bake for 10 more minutes.
6. Remove from oven when golden brown and partially dried out.


Soooo good.  And good for you!



Gluten, Corn, Soy Free Paillard Eggplant

Okay, before I talk about what I want to talk about today, I have a story I want to tell you all.
I was at the store last night, and as usual my cart was full of a ton of vegetables. Beets, fennel, turnips, lemons, apples, eggplant, and broccoli slaw to name a few. So I get up to the check out counter and the women ringing me up gets to the turnip and says
"What is this?"
I reply, "Oh, It's a turnip."
"Really? How weird."
And the bagger girl who is probably about my age, says "I thought beets were that shape. I don't know. I don't eat them."

So what is the moral of this story? People, take a stroll through the produce department sometime. Pick things up, smell things. You might find something delicious and learn a thing or two.

So now . . .

Eggplant.

Wait. Didn't I just give you a recipe using eggplant?!
That's true. I did.
But in my defense I do love eggplant and they are on sale at most stores right now. So technically, I am not being repetitive. I'm being current.

So, Eggplant.

Many people don't think much of eggplant. Most people don't give a fig about it's high fiber content. Or it's phytonutrient content. Or it's potassium, folate, or magnesium.

All they care about is if it is delicious. Fortunately this recipe is.

I call it Paillard Eggplant. You will see why

Paillard Eggplant

1/2 Aubergine Eggplant, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch
1/3 cup GCSD-free Mayonnaise, I use my own
2 cups Bread crumbs
1/3 cup Grated Parmesan, optional
1 1/2 Tbs Organic No Salt seasoning, this is kinda like Mrs. Dash
1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Cover baking sheet with parchment.

3. Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan, No salt seasoning, and kosher salt in a large baggie. Pour out onto a plate.

4. Spread a piece of eggplant with a thin layer of mayo, then press into the bread crumb mixture coating both sides. Place on baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the eggplant.

5. Bake for 10 minutes, flip over, Bake for about 6-10 more minutes.

I love these by themselves, but they would taste delicious dipped marinara sauce. Sort of like a deconstructed Eggplant Parmesan.