For the love of zucchini. It is hands down one of my favorite vegetables and it is never in short supply when it is in season. Two super easy ways to enjoy zucchini, quarter it in thin slices and add it to marinara sauce and to quarter it in chunks and roast it.

But, when zucchini is, quite literally, growing everywhere, I need more variety and more fun ways to eat it. Below are two of my favorite zucchini recipes that I would like to share with you. And, please, I would love it if you would share your favorites with me, too.

Three-Bean Veggie Chili

Completed Chili

(I wish I can credit where I got this recipe. It is a favorite.)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium-size onion

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 red bell peppers, cored and diced

2 medium-size zucchini, trimmed and diced

1 can ( 14 1/2 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes*

1 can (8 ounces) no-salt added tomato sauce

1/4 cup ketchup**

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Grated cheddar cheese (optional)

  1. Heat oil in large nonstick pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and chili powder and cook 3 minutes.
  2. Add peppers and zucchini and continue to cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, ketchup and oregano. Cook 8 minutes.
  4. Gently stir in the beans. Cover pot and continue to cook 3 minutes. Serve with grated cheese, if desired.

Serves my family of five with leftovers.

* My half Italian husband does not like tomatoes (He says it’s the other half that does not like them.)  I leave these out.

** I also omit the ketchup. To me it is a lot of added sugar and I actually enjoy the recipe more with out it. You will not miss it if you don’t add it.

Zucchini Carrot Chocolate Chip Muffins

Out of oven muffins

(The basic recipe comes from Allrecipes.com, Oat Bran Muffins. I added the good stuff and, don’t worry, you will not taste the oat bran at all.)

Makes 24 muffins.

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups oat bran

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup chilled applesauce

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 carrots, peeled and shredded

1-2 medium-sized zucchini, shredded

1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

muffins carrot zuch

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups.
  2. Blend together brown sugar, oat bran, flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Add eggs, chilled applesauce, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended.
  3. Add in shredded zucchini and carrots. Mix until blended.
  4. Fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips. We like the mini chocolate chips best.
  5. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Let stand 10 minutes.
  6. Bake at 400 degrees F ( 205 degrees C) for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.