Zucchini and Carrot Hash
Let me tell you a little trick I use when it I want to prep and cook vegetables and am short on time: I take advantage of my food processor and let the machine do the work.
I love vegetables, but I’ve seen folks really struggle with prepping vegetables (which is why you must, must, must learn to use a knife folks!). If you’re short on time and want to get a delicious vegetable side to accompany dinner, dust off the grater attachment of your food processor and get grating and hash it.
You can do this with squashes (winter or summer), any root vegetable (that’s carrots, parsnips, beets), and your spuds (potatoes and sweet potatoes). When you grate them, they also cook much faster and have tons of surface area to absorb any flavor you put on them. Really, we should do this with all our vegetables.
Carrots and zucchini are a great combination, but don’t stop there. Carrots + beets? Parsnips + potatoes? Butternut squash + sweet potatoes? All will be delicious. The key is to start with the vegetable that will take longer to cook first (good rule of thumb: the denser and more firm the vegetable is, the longer it will take to cook, so butternut squash will take longer than zucchini). You can also just pick one vegetable to saute (but it won’t be as colorful). Regardless, you’ll definitely love this new fun way to eat your veggies!
Smarts
- Not sure how to use your food processor for grating? No problem. This post will teach ya how to with carrots, but it’s the same with any other veg. You just have to chop the veg so that it can fit through the feed.
- Tools: A food processor for the prep and then a saute pan or skillet for the cooking.
- Garlic cloves – 2, minced
- Carrots – 2, grated
- Zucchini – 2, grated
- Cooking oil – 1 tbs.
- Garlic – Mince. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
- Carrots / Zucchini – Grate in a food processor (or box grater). Keep the two grated vegetables separated though. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead).
- Heat a saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add cooking oil and then garlic to heated oil. Once you can smell the garlic, add the carrots with a dash of salt. Saute for about 2 minutes and then add zucchini. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes to your desired level of crunchiness. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
