2.21.2014

Baked Zucchini Fries and Hawaiian Pizza

I started really learning how to cook (and enjoy it!) when I came home from college and lived with my family. I learned a lot from being in the kitchen with my mom and younger brother (who has been a little chef since he was young!) Around that time was also when I learned how to cook healthy meals and snacks, as opposed to the dining hall food I used to eat in college (and the late night DP Dough and Gumby's...) so I was able to drop a few pounds and felt SO much better because of the healthy lifestyles I had started to adapt.

I've tried to keep those healthy habits living in Charleston (although I do love some Palmetto cheese, grits, and all of those bad-for-you Southern foods!) but I've felt that cooking dinners at home has been the easiest way to stay healthy because I know exactly what's going into my food. I also love cooking dinners, whether it's just for myself (I'll always make more than I will eat so I can have leftovers for lunch the next day) or for me & my beau (who is the best person to cook for because he'll eat just about anything!) I see cooking as a creative outlet, so for that reason I always like to mix it up and probably 50% of the time I never use a recipe. Of course when I'm trying out new things, I'll need a recipe close by, but I usually never stick right to it- I don't measure much, just "eye ball" it most of the time. I love to experiment with different flavors and ingredients!

Last week (remember back when it was freezing in SC) I wanted to make something easy but hot and fulfilling for Robbie and myself. I already had some zucchini, pineapple, pizza sauce so I decided to try a recipe for baked zucchini "fries" and throw together a Hawaiian pizza since I already had the pineapple (and banana peppers if you want to get crazy!)

The recipe for the zucchini fries I found on Pinterest (where I find almost all of my recipes these days) a few weeks back and had tried them once so I knew they were pretty good! They are a great healthy appetizer and since we dip them in marinara, they are great to serve with any Italian style dinner.


Before they went into the oven... drenched in eggs then dipped into the panko bread crumb/Italian seasoning/Parmesan cheese mix.

Popped them into the oven at 425 for about 20ish minutes (the 12-15 mins from the recipe wasn't quite enough for my oven) and voila!

Serve with some marinara (or whatever spaghetti sauce you have in your fridge, in our case- Trader Joe's bolognese sauce, yum!)

Next for the Hawaiian pizza, which happens to be one of Robbie and my favorites! Like I mentioned, I already had some pineapple, banana peppers, and pizza sauce in the fridge at home so I picked up a whole wheat crust (remember, I wanted this to be an easy dinner), Canadian bacon (although I could have used ham instead), and an Italian cheese mix- easy peasy!

My cooking companion before Robbie came home! ;)

All of the ingredients ready to go on the pizza! I chopped up the Canadian bacon into smaller pieces but that was really the only prep work!

All set to go in the oven. I think I cooked at 425 for about 20-25ish minutes, though it may have been ready a little sooner.

Yum! All ready to eat!


Thanks for reading y'all! I'd love to hear what some of your favorite quick and (somewhat) healthy recipes are since I'm headed to Trader Joe's this afternoon! Have a great weekend!!

4 comments:

  1. Will definitely have to make! Looks delicious :)

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  2. I am going to have to try those zucchini fries next week! I definitely recommend making your own beef with broccoli, if you like it! it was so simple, and you knew exactly what was in it, not like at panda express. Andrew and I devoured it this week, i ended up making it twice!

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  3. I'm a VA girl living in SC right now, too (I go to USC). I love those wine glasses--where are they from?! Those zucchini fries look amazing and so healthy! I've gained some weight this year because of all the junk I've been eating at night with sorority sisters. I'm hoping when I move home after graduation this May, I'll learn to cook and drop a few pounds, as well!

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    1. Thanks! The wine glass was a Christmas gift from a friend but I believe she bought it at Tweed in Richmond. Good luck at USC and enjoy the late night junk food while you can! ;)

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