Wandering through your garden and wondering about all those flowering vegetables and whether you can eat their blossoms? Then stop by your zucchini plant and look no further.
Those big flowers are indeed edible and in season just now! You can eat them raw, for example by cutting them in slices and adding them to your salad or you can stuff them or deep fry them. Look further down in this post for a delicious recipe! If you are curious about nature’s variety of foods, try and add this to your plate today.
What makes zucchini flowers a real treat on your plate? Well for once they add a colour boost with their deep yellow colouring. They are not only pretty to look at, but they are also a delicious burst of summer on your plate too.
Its health benefits: while you will have to consume quite a large amount of the flowers to notice a significant health impact, they are a good source of vitamins on your plate. They contain relatively speaking, high levels of vitamin A, which is great for flawless, plumb and therefore young-looking skin, great eyesight and your immune system in general. It also contains good amounts of vitamins C, K, and E as well as potassium, zinc, magnesium and calcium. Thus making it an ideal superstar for gut health. Potassium and magnesium also play a big role when it comes to matters of the heart, stabilising blood pressure.
They are ideally picked early in the morning when the flower buds open or just when you start preparing your meal. They are very delicate, so will wilt away fast. Shake them gently to get rid of any insects that may have found their way in, gently wash them and carefully pat them dry. Got a bit of the stem? Don‘t worry, it’s the perfect handle for finger food.
I love my zucchini flowers stuffed rather than deep fried. That way, it remains a treat to the eye as well as to my taste butts. But each to their own, depending on your ideas and favourites. Are you the crunchy type? Then I suggest battering them up and giving them a good fry in peanut or sesame oil. Leave them in the oil to fry until the butter is crispy and golden, patt them dry with a paper towel to remove the oil and serve immediately!
A stuffed zucchini blossom recipe:
For 3-4 flowers you will need:
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese or ricotta
- 3 tablespoons feta cheese, soft goat cheese also works well as does grated pecorino. I encourage you to experiment. If you cannot decide on one cheese, feel free to mix and match!
- A few sundries tomatoes in oil
- Garlic (fresh or powder), season to your liking
- Freshly ground pepper
- Some salt
- Fresh herbs like basil, sage, spring onions, thyme, chives or whatever is growing in your garden patch
- A little bit of flour for coating
Cut the herbs into pieces, crumble the feta cheese, grind your garlic, chop the sundried tomatoes and mix all ingredients with the cream cheese. If you fancy, add some extra crushed walnuts (or any other nut) for a more nutty flavour. It goes very well with feta cheese. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Remove the inside bits of your flowers so that only the stem and petals are left. Then carefully fill in your cheese mix with a small spoon.
Fold in the tips of the petals so that the stuffing remains neatly inside. Then dip them in flour for a crisp coating.
Heat your frying pan, and add plenty of oil. Once it’s bubbling slightly, add your bulbs and start frying them on one side, turning the delicate flowers only once. Turn them once the bottom is nicely browned and your cheese has gone a bit soft inside.
Once browned, place flowers on kitchen paper to remove any excessive oil. Serve and enjoy.
But do remember: please don’t pick all the leaves of your plant, as you risk not having any fruit otherwise. Don’t get carried away 😉
– with love –
Corina
sown & uprooted
https://for-a-better-living.com/
Please note: As with all things in life, some things will have ripple effects and the amounts make the difference. So please don’t overdose on foods either. It’s always advisable to observe how your body reacts to natural remedies. Especially if you are on medication, suffer a medical condition, or are prone to allergic reactions. During pregnancy, it’s recommended to seek medical advice before starting any self-medication.
sown & uprooted 
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