Yellow Squash and Zucchini

Summer squashes like yellow squash and zucchini are in season in mid-late summer in Indiana. Anyone who has ever planted these in a garden knows that they grow so well in this area, they can grow nearly in spite of their gardener’s best efforts at total neglect. They are prolific, so if you are committed to eating locally, expect to eat a lot of summer squash and zucchini during the hottest summer months.

Storage

Basic Prep Ideas

The flavor of zucchini and summer squash is vastly improved by removing the seedy center. The center of summer squash tends to taste (and feel) a little slimy and astringent, and it hides the natural sweetness and complexity of the rest of the fruit. So when you prepare zucchini/summer squash for sauteing, grilling, or frying, cut off the stem end, then cut the squash lengthwise, and then drag a spoon down the center to scoop out the seeds. From there, slice it up into about 1/4″ slices and cook. See if you notice the difference in flavor and texture!

I really like zucchini and summer squash sautéed over medium heat with olive oil, tamari (or soy sauce), and a splash of balsamic vinegar. To do this, I usually cook the squash in oil until it’s just fork-tender, and then I add a splash or two of tamari and balsamic vinegar for the last five minutes of cooking time (you may need to lower the heat a bit so all the water in the vinegar and soy sauce doesn’t evaporate off the pan right away). As the squash finishes cooking, the balsamic vinegar thickens and caramelizes into a glaze (called a reduction). It’s great as a side dish, but it’s also REALLY good in a heaping summer vegetable sandwich.  

As a pasta replacement:
You can also use a spiralizing cutter or a vegetable peeler to turn your raw summer squash into a pasta substitute. Remember that it still counts as a vegetable, so you’ll want to consciously make sure you get your grains and/or carbs in another way throughout the day, unless for some reason you are strictly avoiding them (which is generally not recommended). Raw summer squash is generally not as flavorful as cooked, and it can have a little bitterness, but some people really love it this way as a light, fresh summer dish. It might be worth a try if you don’t have much time to cook or it’s too hot to boil a pot of pasta!

Baking with yellow squash and zucchini:
Recipes for zucchini bread and muffins abound in cookbooks and websites. If you bake these, remember that these recipes usually don’t contain enough squash to provide a meaningful amount of vegetables per serving, and they are usually still loaded with sugar and refined carbohydrates. However, they do contain more fiber than most baked goods (especially if you use whole wheat flour), so if you are in a situation where a cakey dessert needs to happen, a small serving of something like squash muffins or zucchini bread should have a slightly lower GI than regular cake or muffins. But contrary to what we all wish to be true, it’s still not anything other than dessert.