I’ve always believed that skincare products aren’t the only key to glowing skin. Maintaining a well-balanced, healthy diet and drinking plenty of water are just as important. I have been a vegetarian for years now, and contrary to popular belief, it’s not a difficult lifestyle choice. The meal and snack options are endless, and you can eat well on a modest budget.
Knowledge is power.
I think what intimidates most people is not knowing how to cook vegetables and how to incorporate them into different recipes. The internet is a fabulous tool for finding information on health and wellness. In this series, I will introduce you to recipes and meal ideas that focus on cooking with vegetables.
Courgette – Think beyond zucchini sticks
QUICK FACTS: Zucchini contains riboflavin, whose deficiency is found to affect the development of collagen.
Collagen is a major component of your skin. It plays a role in strengthening skin, plus may benefit elasticity and hydration. As you age, your body produces less collagen, leading to dry skin and the formation of wrinkles. [Source: Healthline]
The vitamin C in zucchini helps with the production of elastin, which is essential for radiant and healthy skin. Zucchini is rich in zinc – this promotes hair growth. The vitamin C can make your hair strands strong and supple.
A great source for recipes is Melissa Shabinsky’s Instagram page. She is always sharing nutrition facts and easy ways to easily incorporate fruits and vegetables into your meals.
Green Juice: zucchini, kale, pear, lemon, ginger and turmeric.
Summer Salad: spiralized zucchini tossed with vegan pesto, toasted nuts and cherry tomatoes.
Zucchini Brownies: she made these using a recipe from – Vegan 8.
Zucchini Skewers: perfect for BBQ season. I made these over the weekend to go with my veggie burgers.
Here are two of my favorite zucchini dishes:
I also love making lasagna with zucchini. I cut the zucchini lengthwise, toss it in olive oil, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper before baking it in the oven until tender. When assembling the dish, I alternate the zucchini strips with lasagna sheets and tomato sauce, adding cheese only at the end. I top it off with Parmigiano-Reggiano and either friulano or mozzarella.
TIP: I always reserve the liquid from the zucchini, once they have been baked. I use oven ready lasagna sheets. If there isn’t enough liquid from the sauce, it can get dry when baking. So before I add the cheese – I will add some of the liquid to help keep it moist.
Feature Photo Credit: Madison
