FOR THE CORNMEAL BISCUITS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fine cornmeal
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup sour cream or plain whole milk yogurt
Milk

FOR THE RATATOUILLE
1 large eggplant 1 1/2 pounds cut into 1-inch chunks
3 small zucchini 3/4 pound, cut into 1-inch chunks
7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 red pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or basil 


For the biscuits: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Fold in the sour cream. Gently knead mixture until it comes together in a ball, adding a drop or two of milk if necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

For the ratatouille: In a bowl, toss eggplant and zucchini with 5 tablespoons oil; season with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper. Spread vegetables in a single layer on one or two large baking sheets (do not crowd vegetables). Transfer to oven and roast, tossing occasionally, until golden, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep, preferably oven-proof sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Crumble sausage into pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.

Return pan to medium heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Stir in the onion, pepper, garlic and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and thyme sprigs; simmer gently until tomatoes are cooked and mixture is stew-like, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sausage, roasted vegetables and parsley. If you are not using an oven-safe pan, transfer mixture to a 2-quart gratin dish or baking pan.

Divide biscuit dough into six equal balls. Use your palm to flatten each ball into a ½ -inch-thick disk. Arrange on top of ratatouille mixture. Brush biscuits lightly with milk.

Transfer skillet or pan to oven and cook until biscuits are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Since this recipe cooks the noodles with the stock for the sauce, it is extra important to stir while cooking the pasta! If you have already made a batch of pesto, use it in place of the gremolata, which is just a cheese-less pesto! 


Ingredients
2 3/4 cups vegetable stock
12 ounces medium pasta shells
2 medium zucchini (about 14 ounces total), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped


For the gremolata:
1/3 packed cup thinly sliced basil
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped roasted salted almonds
3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley


Preparation
In a large, deep 12-inch skillet, bring stock to a boil over high heat. Once stock boils, stir in pasta, zucchini, cream cheese, garlic and half the basil; season generously with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is tender and liquid is reduced until thickened and creamy, 12 to 13 minutes, adding a splash of water during the last few minutes of cooking if needed to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Meanwhile, prepare the gremolata: Chop almonds and parsley with remaining basil until finely chopped and combined; season with salt and pepper.


Divide pasta among shallow bowls. Top with gremolata and serve immediately.

​3 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1/2 cup onions, divided
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 pound yellow summer squash, chopped
½ pound potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 TBSP flour
1 pound frozen corn kernels, thawed and divided
1  cup whole milk, divided
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (for serving)
Green onions, chopped (for serving)

Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Crumble bacon and set aside. Add 1/2 cup onions, celery, potatoes and squash to drippings in pan; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with 3 TBSP flour and stir to coat all the veggies. Add salt, pepper, thyme, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer while continuing to next step.

Set aside 1 cup of corn. Place the remaining corn and 1 cup milk in a blender; process until smooth. Add pureed mixture and reserved 1 cup corn to pan. Bring back to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Ladle into bowls; top each serving with crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, and green onions. 

​Yield: 4-6 servings
Time: 20 minutes
This recipe idea came from one of the volunteers at the Richmond Hostel. Instead of using hard to find green papaya, shredded zucchini is subbed in for the bulk of this delicious riff on a papaya salad. 

1  large or 2 small cloves garlic, peeled
¼  teaspoon salt
1  tablespoon dry-roasted salted peanuts, more for garnish
2  fresh bird chilies or serrano chilies, sliced
½  teaspoon raw sugar or white sugar
1  tablespoon dried shrimp (optional)
2  tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 to 2  tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla), to taste
2  plum tomatoes, 1 large round tomato, or 8 grape tomatoes, coarsely chopped
½  pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths (optional)
1  small to medium green zucchini, julienned on a mandolin or by hand

In a blender or mortar, blend or pound garlic, salt, peanuts, chilies, sugar and shrimp (if using) into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in lime juice and fish sauce. Use a spoon (or the mortar) to lightly crush tomatoes and beans (if using), then add to bowl and mix lightly.
Peel and coarsely grate or shred papaya, discarding seeds and inner membrane. There should be 4 to 6 cups.
Add papaya to bowl and lightly but thoroughly toss together. Taste for seasoning. Mound in a bowl (if desired, line bowl with lettuce leaves beforehand). Sprinkle with peanuts and serve.

​These make an amazing breakfast on the weekend! 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped (use any leftover onion parts!
1 ½  pounds zucchini or other summer squash, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced (I still had some garlic scapes that I used up)
1 to 2 chilis, minced (omit if you don’t like heat!)
 Salt to taste
 Freshly ground pepper
8 eggs, beaten
Roughly chopped cilantro
Sour cream (optional)
Avocado, sliced (optional)
10 warm corn tortillas

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to color, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, until it is lightly colored and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili and salt to taste and stir together for about 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant. Reduce the heat to low.
Beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Add to the zucchini mixture along with the cilantro. Cook, stirring, until the eggs are set. Fill the warm tortillas and serve with sour cream and avocado.

​Gluten-free and vegan as written-you can use all purpose flour (1 1/2 cups) instead of the various gluten free flours. 

2 batches flax egg (2 Tbsp (14 g) flaxseed meal + 5 Tbsp (75 ml) water as original recipe is written)
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup grated zucchini (squeezed dry and lightly packed in measuring cup)
3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend
1/3 cup gluten-free oat flour (finely ground rolled oats)
1/3 cup almond flour 
1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips (plus more for topping // I like Enjoy Life brand)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with extra coconut oil. 
In a large mixing bowl, prepare flax eggs and let rest for 5 minutes. Then add applesauce, maple syrup, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and cocoa powder, and whisk again.
Next add the melted coconut oil and almond milk and whisk to combine. Add grated zucchini (that's been squeezed of excess moisture) and stir to combine.
Add gluten-free flour, oat flour, and almond flour and whisk until just combined. If the batter appears too thick, add a touch more almond milk. But it should be thick and scoopable.
Lastly, stir in chocolate chips. Then transfer batter to the loaf pan and top with a few more chocolate chips (optional).
Bake 45 minutes - 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges feel semi-firm to the touch.

Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Then carefully lift onto a cooling rack using the parchment paper. Texture is best when cooled completely. Will keep covered at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.

​Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4-5 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced 
1 1/2 pounds summer squash, cut in 1/4-inch dice (about 4 cups)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs, such as mint, basil, or parsley 
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 ½ cups orzo
1/3 cup arugula pesto 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the orzo and salt generously. Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and garlic. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, and add summer squash. Turn heat up to medium high and cook, stirring often, until squash is tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in fresh herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.
When water in pot comes to a boil, salt generously and add orzo. Cook 9 minutes, until al dente. Stir 3 to 4 tablespoons of the cooking water into the pesto, then drain orzo and toss with squash. Heat through, add pesto, toss again and serve. Top with Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast for extra cheesiness!