Zucchini Squash Bake Is Great Comfort Food

This Zucchini Squash Bake makes for delicious comfort food when the weather outside is
frightful. Gluten free and vegetarian, it’s chock full of nutritious zucchini plus protein-rich ricotta.

Zucchini Squash Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 small (about 2 pounds) kabocha, red kuri or delicata squash
• ½ Tbs. olive oil
• ⅛ tsp. plus ½ tsp. salt, divided
• 1 small zucchini, grated (about ½ cup)
• ⅔ cup ricotta
• ½ cup grated hard cheese, such as Fontina, Emmental, Gruyère or non-aged Gouda
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 egg (beaten)
• ½ tsp. ground nutmet
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

FOR THE TOPPING

• ½ cup bread crumbs (regular, gluten-free or panko)
• 1 Tbs. butter (melted)
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out seeds. Drizzle oil and 1 /8 teaspoon salt over cut side of squash halves. Place squash, cut side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover squash loosely with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Once cooked, remove foil and let squash cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, place grated zucchini, ricotta, grated cheese, parsley, thyme, pepper and remaining ½ teaspoon salt; stir to combine. Mix in beaten egg and nutmeg; set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, toss bread-crumb ingredients together; set aside.
4. Once squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a bowl and add lemon juice; mash with a potato masher until smooth. Gently fold ricotta cheese mixture into squash until combined.
5. Grease a 2-quart round baking dish, and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Scoop squash mixture into baking dish, and top with bread-crumb mixture. Bake until topping turns golden brown in spots, about 25–30 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

PER SERVING (1 cup): 193 cal, 11g fat (4g mono, 1g poly, 6g sat), 57mg chol, 418mg sodium, 16g carb (3g fiber, 5g sugars), 10g protein

SOURCE: The recipe by Carsen Snyder is posted by permission of Delicious Living (and its parent company New Hope Network), a trusted voice in the natural living community for 30 years. Photo by Jennifer Olson.