Ahoy, Captain! There be zucchini on the port bow!

The first fruits of the garden are coming in.  The zucchini flowers have gone from tender orange stars to deep green, tasty fruits.

We also have bok choi, kohlrabi, peas and rhubarb that are being harvested, with lots more of everything on the way.  The rain over the last three days has kicked the garden into high gear, and pretty soon I'm going to be spending time freezing or canning what we can't eat right away.

Here's a recipe for tasty zucchini "fries" that are one of our favorites:

1 lb. zucchini - a dozen or so baby zucchini or 2 - 3 medium sized
1 tsp. garlic powder (approx., more or less as you like)
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tsp. paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
olive oil to coat (approx. 3 Tbsp.)

Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

Cut the zucchini into thick strips resembling french fries.  Place them in a 9 x 13 cake pan in a single layer, skin side down.  You can squash them together in the pan, since they will shrink during cooking.  Using a sprayer or basting brush, brush the olive oil over the top of each strip, then sprinkle the garlic powder, nutritional yeast flakes, paprika, and salt and pepper evenly over the top of the strips.

Bake the strips for 15 minutes, then stir and bake for another 15  -20 minutes until the strips have lost their water and are nicely browned and a bit crunchy.  The exact baking time will depend on the moisture in your vegetables, so watch carefully to avoid under- or over-cooking. They will shrink somewhat as they cook and lose their water, so if you are feeding a crowd, plan accordingly.

You can eat these "fries" with your fingers.  Dipped in ranch or bleu cheese dressing they make a great appetizer, though we enjoy eating them plain.   Any leftovers can be reheated, and they will still be tasty, but they will lose their crispiness, so you may wish to add them to another dish such as a vegetable curry.  Don't be surprised if they disappear in short order, though.  They're delicious!