Zucchini Casserole

Continuing on with the No Sugar No Grains way of eating, let's focus on veg, shall we?

Chances are, if you've been to my house for dinner, you've had this zucchini dish on more than one occasion.  It's my favorite veggie side dish to make, plus the leftovers are great for breakfast and lunch the next day.  The optional addition of parmesan at the end gives it a casserole-y feel.

The key to easy prep is using a mandoline to slice the zucchini thinly and uniformly.  I use the Progressive International HGT-11 Folding Mandoline Slicerto slice and/or dice zucchini, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, onions, etc etc etc.  Well worth the $20 investment.

And if you haven't checked it out yet, please take a listen to the Angriest Trainer Podcast that I do with Vinnie Tortorich.  The Vin-Man is a fitness inspiration.



ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3-4 zucchini, peeled and sliced evenly into disks
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
Dash of salt; a grind of fresh pepper
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Parmesan, freshly grated (optional)

Heat up olive oil to medium high heat in a large, flat bottomed pan. Sautee onions and peppers until very soft, about 8 minutes.

Add zucchini, dijon mustard, tablespoon of butter, and salt & pepper, stirring until everything is pretty evenly coated.  Cover, lower heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until zucchini softens.

Stir in the tomatoes and basil, re-cover the pan and simmer an additional 10 mins.  Remove cover, turn off heat, and add freshly grated parmesan to taste.