Food for all Copy & Share this nutrition resource with our permission with blessings from The Salvation Army Penticton Community Ministries
FOOD FOR ALL is provided by: The Salvation Army Community & Family Services 2399 South Main Street Penticton, BC V2A 5J1 Phone: 250-492-4788 Fax: 250-492-8813 If you like what you see and you would like to support us, you may send your donation to the above address. Community Kitchen Better Meals Fund
Give us this day our daily bread and veggies too please! Eating a variety of colours every day is a good way to get all the minerals & vitamins your body needs.
SUMMER SQUASH includes Zucchini Summer Squash vary widely in shape and skin colour, but all types have a mild and delicate flavour.
CROOKNECK Patti Pan Summer squash are picked when still immature and tender-skinned when the skin is edible!
The Versatile Zucchini A dark green, cucumber-shaped squash with a pale green interior and edible seeds. The paler green version of zucchini has a milder flavored flesh and is very tasty when sautéed in olive oil with tomatoes and onions. Patti Pan Patti pan are squat and round. Their pale green skin runs white as the squash matures. Use as you would other summer squashes. Yellow or Crookneck This squash has an elongated shape with bottom slightly thicker. Neck may be straight or slightly bent. Seeds found in its pale yellow flesh are also edible. Use as you would zucchini or other summer squash.
NUTRITION NOTES The key is to pick them when they are still small and the skin is tender. Eat them raw or just slightly cooked. Summer Squash can be lightly cooked, stuffed, added to soup, or salad. They can be used to make muffins, cakes, breads and loaves. They can be served hot or cold, sweet or savory! The real beauty of summer squash is that they are interchangeable in recipes! Summer squash are high in Vitamin C and very low in calories. (one cup of cooked squash is only about 25 calories) Always follow the advice of your health care provider if you have a health condition that requires you to follow a special diet.
BEST BUDDIES Season summer squash with herbs like oregano, basil, dill, or nutmeg. Just before serving, you may want to add butter and/or parmesan cheese.
HOW TO SELECT SUMMER SQUASH Choose a squash with smooth, brightly colored skin and that feels heavy for its size. Skin should be firm but soft enough to puncture easily with your fingernail. Avoid any with blemishes, or withered at either end. HOW TO STORE IT Store in a plastic bag in vegetable crisper drawer of refrigerator for up to five days. Cure squash in a sheltered place, or indoors in a warm room for 4 or 5 days after picking. During this time the skins become very hard and protect the nutritious flesh!
HOW TO CLEAN, CUT & PEEL IT Wash thoroughly Summer Squash rarely need to be peeled Cut off stems and reach inside and remove any seeds and fibers. Leave whole, slice or chop SUMMER SQUASH ON THE GRILL Allowing about 1 small squash per serving, place whole yellow zucchini or patti pan squash on skewers before grilling, or put directly on the grill. Cut rounds should be approximately ½ inch thick and thread onto skewers. Brush lightly with oil, seasoned butter, or prepared Italian dressing before grilling. Cook over coals 20 to 30 minutes, or until tender, turning occasionally. Brush with extra oil or butter if you wish.
FREEZING SUMMER SQUASH Choose squash with tender skin. Wash, slice; blanch 3 minutes. Then, pat dry and store in freezer bags for up to 3 months. How to Eat Sunlight When the winter months have less sunlight, eating squash is a bit like eating stored sunlight. The combination of green and gold reflects the vivid colours of summer and provides our bodies with valuable nutrients.
FIVE GREAT LITTLE RECIPES Tested in our Community Kitchen 1. Simple Zucchini Casserole 2. Stuffed Zucchini 3. Zucchini, Basil & Tomato Loaf 4. Patti pan and Shallot BakE 5. Garden Patch Sauté
RECIPE 1 Simple Zucchini Casserole Ingredients: 4 cups zucchini, cut into chunks 1 can tomato soup, or crushed tomatoes ½ tsps. oregano 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated DIRECTIONS: Peel and chunk zucchini. Top with tomatoes. Place in a casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes at 350F. Before serving, top with grated mozzarella cheese. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Yield: 6 servings.
RECIPE 2 Stuffed Zucchini Easy to make yet special for company Ingredients: 2 medium zucchini (3/4 to 1 lb) 1 small onion, chopped 1 cup fresh mushrooms, coarsely chopped ½ cup celery, chopped 1 medium tomato, chopped 1 Tbsp butter ¾ cup soda cracker crumbs (16 crackers) 1 egg ½ cup cheddar cheese, grated 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated Pepper to Taste Paprika for garnish, optional
RECIPE 2: STUFFED ZUCCHINI continued DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving ¼ inch shell. Coarsely chop pulp. Combine zucchini pulp, onion, mushrooms, celery, tomato and butter in a large frying pan. Sautee for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and drain off excess juices. Stir in cracker crumbs, egg, cheese, salt and pepper. Mound one-quarter of filling into each zucchini shell and sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Place in a greased baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until zucchini is tender crisp. Yield: 4 servings.
RECIPE 3 Zucchini, Basil & Tomato Loaf INGREDIENTS: 2 cups allpurpose 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 1 cup shredded zucchini 1 cup chopped green onions 1 cup minced fresh basil 1 cup diced Roma tomato 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese 1 cup buttermilk 2 eggs 3 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar 3 thin tomato slices for garnish
RECIPE 3: ZUCCHINI, BASIL & TOMATO LOAF continued DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 325F. Spray 9 X 5 inch loaf pan, or four mini-loaf pans. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Add zucchini, cup tomato, onions, basil and cheese, toss to combine. Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, oil and vinegar in a second bowl. Fold buttermilk mixture into zucchini mixture just until moistened. The batter will be thick. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Level top of batter and garnish with fresh tomato slices. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. 60 minutes. (For mini loaves, 30 minutes). Let bread cool 10 minutes, then turn out of the pan and cool on a rack for a half hour before slicing.
RECIPE 4 Patti Pan & Shallot Bake Ingredients: ½ pound pattipan or another summer squash, cut into 1 inch chunks. 1 shallot, very thinly sliced 1 tsp fresh Thyme 1 Tbsp olive oil A pinch of sea salt Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the squash with the shallot slices, thyme, oil and salt. Spread onto a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until the squash is tender.
RECIPE 5 Garden Patch Sauté INGREDIENTS: 1 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil 1 med zucchini, cut into ¼ inch slices (1 cup) 1 med yellow summer squash, cut into ¼ inch slices (1 cup) ½ cup sliced fresh mushrooms 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half 2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives In a 10 inch non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook garlic, zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms in oil for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are crisptender. Stir in tomatoes. Sprinkle vegetables with chives. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until tomatoes begin to soften. *Fresh basil or oregano may be substituted for the chives.
HOW TO GROW SUMMER SQUASH Zucchini, Patti pan, and all summer squashes should be picked when small. Summer squash are tender and delicious when small, fibrous and less palatable when big. However, larger summer squash can be grated and frozen to be used in baking or soup or stews. Check your plants daily. Cut squash off with a sharp knife. Do not pull it off. If the squash is left on the plant until it gets big, the production is reduced.
YOUR SUMMER SQUASH NOTES, TIPS & RECIPES
YOUR SUMMER SQUASH NOTES, TIPS & RECIPES
YOUR SUMMER SQUASH NOTES, TIPS & RECIPES
YOUR SUMMER SQUASH NOTES, TIPS & RECIPES
YOUR SUMMER SQUASH NOTES, TIPS & RECIPES
Food Banks are not a solution to the issues of poverty and hunger in our communities. We are turning a page. The Salvation Army Penticton Community Ministries is dedicated to helping supply the basic human need for food through our food bank, but we are also looking at long-term solutions like getting back to the basics of buying in bulk, cooking from scratch, and growing vegetables and preserving them!
Prayer of Gratitude Thank you Lord For the abundance of food we are about to receive for the nourishment of our bodies. Thank you for the community of people that you have blessed us with to plant and harvest this food that we may feed our neighbours and ourselves.
We sincerely thank: Lee McFadyen for the How to Grow it pages Sarah Campbell for the artwork Lorraine Pattison for her food wisdom Donna Benson for her Vision Lester Patrick for the photography
This FOOD FOR ALL SUMMER SQUASH HAND BOOK has been sponsored by and Campbell s Canada is the founding sponsor of the Community Kitchens Better Meals fund, helping Canadians to reconnect to the preparation of simple, better-for-you meals With warm thanks to our designer & printer:
Our Community Kitchen runs each Thursday out of our fully equipped commercial kitchen at our church location on 2469 South Main. Make meals to take home, learn the basics of making nutritious meals from scratch, try new ethnic recipes, learn to can and dehydrate local fruits and vegetables, enroll in nutrition education classes. To pre-register call 250-492-4788
THE SALVATION ARMY PENTICTON COMMUNITY GARDEN Learn to grow it! Call the Food Bank at 250-492-4788 to get involved.