CSA Week 5 - Muffins, Roasted Squash, Cucumber Salad

Corn, potatoes and tomatoes have started!

lettuce - salad
tomatoes - salad
potatoes - put in cellar
corn - grilled
zucchini - Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
yellow squash - Roasted Squash with Parmesan Panko
cucumbers - Cucumber, Black Bean & Pineapple Salad
green beans - Szechuan style (Sam Choy Woks the Wok)
blueberries - breakfast

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

I had been wanting a cupcake all week but knew if I got one at the grocery store I would be disappointed. So I made these which are somewhere in between a muffin and cupcake, letting me feel better about eating them!

340 g shredded zucchini (12 oz, about 2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 teaspoon instant coffee
130 g all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
120 g whole wheat pastry flour (about 1 cup)
44 g unsweetened cocoa (about 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 12 muffin cups.

Combine zucchini and salt in a colander and let drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze out liquid. Stir in yogurt and instant coffee.

Whisk together flours, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder.

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each to combine. Beat in vanilla extract. Add flour mixture alternately with zucchini mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, stirring after each addition just to combine. Scoop into prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 15 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Remove from pan immediately and cool on a rack.

Roasted Summer Squash with Parmesan-Panko Topping
Tasty, fast, and uses a lot of squash.

2 medium summer squash, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
1/2 small onion, sliced thin
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup panko
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a baking dish, toss squash and onion with olive oil and thyme to coat. In a small bowl, combine panko and parmesan. Sprinkle over squash. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Cucumber, Black Bean and Pineapple Salad

2 medium cucumbers, diced, seeds removed if large (about 2 cups)
1 cup diced pineapple
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 small avocado, diced
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Gently toss together all ingredients in a large bowl.