5/28/10

Zucchini casserole and pineapple spinach salad

I LOVE summer time food! But as much as I love the variety of fruits and veggies at great prices..... my grocery bill has gone up!!! Of course, rather than spending money on ice cream, soda's, chips, frozen pizza, lemonade and other popular summer time treats, Karel and I are going through our produce like crazy!!! In addition to going through a gallon of skim milk every 4-5 days and at least 10 low-fat yogurts a week, it's not cheap feeding two endurance athletes in the summer. However, I wouldn't think twice about buying fruits and veggies because based on how we feel on a daily basis, I love our diet of wholesome and nutrient-rich foods.
Of course, I still buy on sale (finally...a carton of blueberries at wal-mart are less than $3!) and try to shop in season.
I hope you enjoy my latest creation...talk about loads of nutrition in a casserole!!!

Zucchini casserole
1 zucchini (shredded)
1/2 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 large carrots (peeled and shredded)
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella cheese
1 egg + 1 egg white
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup white beans
3 roma tomatoes (chopped)
1/4 cup instant oats

Pepper, basil and cumin spices

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a little nonstick spray on a casserole dish.
2. Combine all ingredients and stir well.
3. Spoon into casserole dish and press down with spatula.
4. Cook for 25-35 min or until casserole is crispy brown on top.






Pineapple Spinach Salad
Spinach
Fresh Pineapple
Fresh Strawberries
Fresh Chives
Carrots
Cucumbers

5 comments:

Jennifer said...

I love your recipe ideas and I'm also a vegetarian and triathlete. I noticed that you don't often mention the big selection of "meat substitutes " on the market (veggie chicken strips, etc.). I know that it's ideal to have less processed foods, but a lot of these do offer significant amounts of protein, often at reasonable calorie counts. Of course, price is one of the main downfalls. As someone who thinks a lot about veg. food and athletic performance, what do you think of these products? Curious.

Christi said...

That pineapple salad looks fab!

Aimee (I Tri To Be Me) said...

Great recipe ideas! Thanks for sharing them. :)

sharla said...

Thought I'd say hi!
Found your blog thru Beg Tri and am enjoying all your recipes

Your lil pup is just too cute!

Marni said...

Jennifer - Thanks for your question. The price of vegetarian products often stops me from stocking my fridge with "vegetarian" frozen products like veggie burgers. I personally don't choose vegetarian frozen meals (ex. burritos, pizza, etc.) because I like to choose what's in my food and how much of each ingredient. As far as the burgers, I think they are a good choice for individual's who struggle with getting adequate protein in the diet, all while decreasing the amount of saturated fat in the diet. At 70-120 calories per burger, veggie burgers are certainly low in calorie compared to many other frozen foods but there is a good amount of sodium per burger (300-440 mg). They are a good source of iron and calcium so despite having a semi-long ingredient list, I don't see anything wrong with adding burgers (and other vegetarian products) to your meal. I believe if you build your meal off veggies, whole grains and healthy fats, there is room to add a little bit of "processed" food to complete the meal. Ex. brown rice and veggie stir fry, mixed with 1/2 cup veggie crumbles.
As far as athletic performance, I think a glass of skim milk or whey protein w/ water is most advantageous of providing the body with quality protein (high in essential amino acids) but when you are ready for your "real" post-workout meal, a whole grain sandwich w/ veggies, hummus and a veggie burger would give you a variety of nutrients.

Hope this helps!