Zucchini and avocado fries with chipotle dipping sauce

A new Olympic event: synchronized sleeping

Are you beginning to feel like Tarzan going into the jungle when you head into your garden to pick zucchini? I've been harvesting an abundant zucchini crop but not without some issues. I am one of those people who gets allergic contact dermatitis from coming in contact with the prickly hairs on the vines of the zucchini plants.

To prevent the rash, always wear clothing that protects your arms, hands and legs.  Treat a rash by washing the skin with cold water and a mild soap. The rash, while annoying, should go away in about an hour. If not, apply an over-the-counter corticosteroid cream to reduce inflammation and relieve the itching.

Trimming back your bushy zucchini plants may allow you to pick the squash with less contact with the leaves. Trim leaves carefully to avoid removing too many flowers or robbing growing flowers of the shade they need. Start with dead leaves first. Then, cut off additional large and outer leaves but make sure you remove the entire stalk. Another option would be to use stakes and twine to contain the zucchini plants. They will grow up rather than out.

Zucchini and avocado fries with chipotle dipping sauce

Once you negotiate your zucchini jungle, you should come back with lots of zucchini. Oven-baked fries are one of my favorite things to make with medium to large zucchini. Don't use bazooka-sized zucchini. Make these with avocado fries and you have a meal.

Here's what you need for 1 serving of zucchini and avocado fries:

2 medium or 1 large zucchini (consider using a mixture of yellow and green zucchini)
olive oil
1 small avocado
2 T. ground sunflower seed flour (or almond flour, if tolerated)
1 flax or chia egg mixed in 2 T. coconut milk or 1 egg for a vegetarian option
salt and pepper

Here's what you need for the chipotle dipping sauce:

2 T. vegan or other yogurt
2 T. sunbutter (or substitute almond butter)
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/8 tsp. chipotle chili powder

Here's what you do:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 1 large and 1 small baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the zucchini into fry-sized pieces. Place the zucchini fries on the large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss with your hands. Place the fries in the oven. Bake for up to one hour or until crispy and golden.

In the meantime, prepare the avocado fries. Cut the avocado into fry-sized wedges. In a small bowl, stir up your chia eggs or regular egg, mixed with salt and pepper. Place sunflower seed or almond flour in another small bowl. Dip avocado fries into egg mixture and then roll in seed flour. Place the fries on the other parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees or  25 minutes or until brown. Flip the fries once during baking time.

Prepare your chipotle dipping sauce. Place all the ingredients in a food processor, blender or magic bullet and blend until smooth.

Recipe contributed to: http://dietdessertndogs.com/2013/08/08/wellness-weekend-august-8-12-2013/

Place a few of those zucchini fries in the bowl, please.


Looking for some other zucchini recipes:

Sunbuttery Zucchini Noodles ACD-Phase 1, vegan
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/08/sunbuttery-zucchini-noodles.html

Thai stir-fry pizza on cauliflower crust ACD-Phase 1, vegan
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2013/01/thai-stir-fry-pizza-on-cauliflower-crust.html

Zucchini and garden veggie lasagna ACD-Phase 1, vegan
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2013/08/zucchini-and-garden-veggie-lasagna-acd.html

Zucchini Fries ACD-Phase 1, vegan
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/05/zucchini-fries.html

Zucchini Nacho Hashbrowns ACD-Phase 1, vegan
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2013/07/zucchini-nacho-hashbrowns.html

Zucchini pile-ups with cilantro pesto, ACD-Phase 1, vegan
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2013/07/zucchini-pile-ups-with-cilantro-pesto.html