Cheap and Easy Gluten / Dairy Free Zucchini Parmesan

Happy Fall Y'all!

Did you just discover the largest zucchini you have ever seen hiding in your garden? 

You thought that you were done with that never ending summer squash. You were ready for the first frost and the leaves to change color. Bring on the winter rest! 

OR MAYBE you love zucchini like I do and you just wish there was more fabulous ways to cook it up.

This recipe is for you... who found the prize winning squash and for you who love all things zucchini. 

OH AND ALSO FOR YOU... who are gluten and dairy free like us!

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How do I know you have a giant zucchini and your trying to figure out some gluten and diary free thing to do with that enormous beast?

Because you my friend, and I, are birds of a feather. (We flock together)

Guess what my farm girl found in the garden?

​Yep. A giant zucchini. Why didn't I check that plant sooner so that thing was manageable?! 

But of course I can't throw it to the chickens because we grew a garden to feed US, not the chickens. We must meet our goal to provide our own healthy, organic food! I've made Pad Thai Zoodles one to many times by late September.

​It's time to put this thing to use in a new way.

I was so THANKFUL when my sister-in-law introduced me to this Tinkyada Pasta brand! We have been gluten free for a while so we repair can the health of our guts. Both from cancer treatments and autoimmune issues.

Gluten free diets are hard enough when you can't have pasta. Add to that problem that most of the gluten free pasta out there turns to rice mush when you cook it and you loose half of your pasta down the drain. No thank you!

Not with this Tinkyada brand! It cooks up 90% like actual wheat pasta and tastes pretty fabulous! Leaving only a tiny bit of residue in the pot. It has become a staple in our gluten free kitchen here on the farm. It also makes the perfect bedding for our gluten and dairy free zucchini parmesan.

While our tomatoes this year are still out in the garden (yes even at the end of September) and are still very, very green, making for better fried green tomatoes than sauce. We used a homemade tomato sauce from tomatoes that we dehydrated last year.

Some of you know that I'm really not a fan of canning. I know it isn't that hard, and it just takes a bit of time to prepare jars and place the food inside. But I tell you.... those few minutes that you have to keep the children away from the burning hot caner are just a trial I can't bare! All chaos breaks loose in those few minutes. Its like how they know when mom is on the phone.... they know when mom has hot jars and hot water and that time is of the essence! But I digress....

So back to the tomato sauce, we use THIS RECIPE with our dehydrated tomatoes, both from our garden and then when the garden doesn't do so hot, from a local farm. It's WAY cheaper than buying stuff by the jar! Also way easier to dry in our dehydrator and blend up as needed in our fancy Vitamix blender!

You are welcome to use any sauce you please with this recipe, the specialty here is with the coating on the zucchini and the no fail gluten free pasta!

Let's get cooking some fabulous food! (My kids raved over this even though they hate zucchini)

​* Side note: The best frying is done in a really hot CAST IRON skillet... they heat up nice and evenly and stay hot. It's really the ideal cookware! Not to mention healthier, but I'll save that for another post.

 

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Dairy and Gluten Free Zucchini Parmesan

Yield: 6

Author: Farmhouse Teas

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min

A delicious dairy, gluten and meat free way to use that garden full of zucchini!

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz bag Tinkyada gluten free rice pasta of choice, cooked per directions
• 1 24 oz jar of your favorite marinara sauce (or our dehydrated tomato sauce recipe)
• 1 giant zucchini (or about 4- 5 small/medium sized)
• 4 cups almond meal/flour
• 2 tablespoons arrow root powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic granules
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning (we mix our own basil, oregano, thyme, savory, rosemary)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 6 eggs, scrambled
• 2 cups oil of choice for frying (we used coconut oil for its high heat point)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in cast iron pan over medium. (Cast iron works the best for frying)
2. Wash and slice zucchini into 1 inch rounds.
3. Mix the almond flour, arrow root powder, garlic, sea salt, onion powder and Italian Seasoning in a bowl. Stir until incorporated.
4. Scramble the eggs in a separate large bowl (wide enough to fit zucchini pieces and deep enough to emerge zucchini in) with about 1/3 cup of plain water.
5. Cook Pasta according to package directions, strain and keep warm until serving.
6. Warm marinara sauce of choice up in a separate pot and keep warm until serving.
7. Once the oil has heated up and is popping turn the cast iron pan down to a medium low heat.
8. Dip each slice of the zucchini into the egg mixture with one hand. Coating both sides in egg.
9. Remove with the clean hand and dip in the almond flour mixture, coating both sides.
10. Repeat this step one more time, placing the already dipped zucchini in the egg once more in the almond flour once more. This makes a nice thick coat when frying.
11. Place the coated zucchini in the pan with the hot oil. Cook until golden brown (5-7 minutes) then flip and cook the second side until golden brown.
12. Remove and let sit on a paper towel to soak up excess oil. Continue frying all the pieces of zucchini left.
13. When zucchini have been cooked and excess oil removed. It's time to serve up this fantastic dish!
14. Dish out the pasta accordingly and then top with the fried zucchini and top with a hearty serving of warm marinara sauce. Enjoy!