This zucchini and corn fritter recipe adds spring flavors to a fried favorite.

Fritters are fried patties that seem just a notch healthier when made with vegetables. In this zucchini corn fritter recipe, patties are based in whole-wheat flour and cornmeal, paired with zucchini and corn, and then lightly fried to crispy perfection. The result is a mouth-watering appetizer dish that satisfies a crowd. Enjoy!

While these fritters are meant to be bite-size, you could easily shape them so that they are worthy of burger status. They are a great alternative to meat patties and have the bulk and density to match the burger experience, almost to a T.

And, of course, don’t forget to dip each zucchini and corn fritter into a creamy ranch dip (preferably homemade). A creamy, cool backdrop perfectly complements the hot and salty traits of the fritters and adds a little more herbal flare to the recipe.

If you want to transform this recipe so that it is vegan, substitute the egg with a flax egg and the parmesan with nutritional yeast. For a vegan dip, try out this vegan mayonnaise.

Zucchini Corn Fritters Recipe

Makes 20 fritters

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini, shredded
• ½ cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
• 1 shallot, shredded
• 1 egg
• ½ cup cornmeal
• ½ cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Canola oil for frying

Directions

Add the zucchini, onion, and corn to a large bowl. Toss until evenly combined. Add in the cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper, parmesan, water, and egg. Fold until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Heat a large skillet to high heat. Add a few tablespoons of oil. Use an ice-cream scooper to shape the mixture into small patties. Transfer the patties to the skillet and flatten slightly. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove each fritter from the pan and transfer it to a paper towel to drain excess oils. Season with salt and serve warm.

Related on EcoSalon
Seasonal Zucchini Fritters Recipe with Cashew Marinara Dipping Sauce
Crustless Corn and Zucchini Quiche Recipe
Zucchini and Goat Cheese Sliders

Zucchini and Corn Fritters Image from Shutterstock

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A great tip to save time preparing food is to make your favorite grains or beans in bulk on a Sunday and to find unique ways to enjoy them throughout the week. There are surprisingly many ways to lift a simple grain or bean from its simple side-dish status to show-stopping glory. From burgers to breakfast, try your hand at diversifying your palette and learning how to be more creative in the kitchen with leftovers.

1. Bite into a Veggie Burger

One of the most important components of a vegan burger is an ingredient that offsets the wet ingredients and helps to bind the patties together. Beans work really well in this department, because they are grainy and sticky at the same time, taking care of a lot of the issues one usually has when trying to get the patties to hold together. Rice and quinoa also work well in veggie burgers.

Make the vegan Sweet Potato and White Bean Burger, Kale and Quinoa Hazelnut Cakes, or the Chickpea Burger first and then experiment with other grains and beans.

2. Dive into a Buddha Bowl

This is one of the easiest and most satisfying go-to lunches or dinners that also use up vegetables rounding their last leg. The ingredient list is straightforward and something that changes according to what you have on hand – cooked grains, green leaves, avocado, and spices. The proportions are up to you to decide.

My favorite mix includes:

• ½ cup brown rice, cooked and cooled down
• Handful of chopped kale
• 1 carrot, grated
• ½ beet, grated
• ½ or 1 whole avocado, chopped
• ½ tablespoon nutritional yeast
• ½ teaspoon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

3. Serve Pancakes

 It may seem odd at first, but a pancake made of grains is actually genius! They turn out much fluffier add extra fiber, the 9 essential amino acids, and protein to Sunday breakfast. You’ll be fuller for longer and in a wholesome, guilt-free way. These Buckwheat Quinoa Pancakes are vegan and virtuous!

Buckwheat Quinoa Pancakes

• 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 3/4 cup quinoa, cooked plain
• 1-1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2-3 dates, pitted, soaked (1-2 hours)
• 1 banana, crushed

Simply mix all the ingredients together until evenly combined and cook on a heated, lightly oiled pan. Serve with maple syrup.

4. Bond with Brownies and Blondies

Recently, beans have been popping up in the most unexpected places – in desserts. Before you reject that concept, it’s worth a try. Beans have a subtle taste that is balanced well with sweet flavors. They also pack the density and rich texture that brownies and blondies require. Beans make it possible to have a vegan brownie that is more like fudge than cake.

Prepare these Black Bean Brownies or Strawberry White Bean Blondies for an introduction to the world of beans served sweet.

5. Redefine Breakfast

So you know that pancakes are an option with grains, but many of us don’t have the time for pancakes each and every morning. Instead, we’re on the go, looking for a quick bite before jumping out the door or something fuss-free to enjoy at the office.

This is where amaranth and quinoa come into play. Look at them as a replacement for your morning oats. Feel the power of over 10 grams of fiber in with this guiltless Chocolate and Banana Breakfast Quinoa. Amaranth packs 30-percent more protein than oats. This protein-packed Amaranth Fruit Cereal is a delicious introduction to amaranth and it can be altered according to your tastes.

Photo Credit: Nerissa, GlowKitchen 

The post 5 Practical and Unique Ways to Use Leftover Grains and Beans appeared first on EcoSalon.

Three sacred cows from the eco-food world – sustainable packaging, compostable coffee cups and veggie burgers – have recently landed on alert lists.

Sound storm

When Frito-Lay’s research and development chief Mike Zbuchalski signed off on the totally compostable Sun Chips bag, he obviously didn’t realize its crunchy sound effects would inspire dozens of snarky YouTube videos (plus warnings of hearing loss) a few weeks after it hit the market. Our friends at the Greenwash Brigade suggest composting the bags with a large, loud tractor.

Bad chemistry

Another packaging faux pas involves the Dixie PerfecTouch insulated cup. Georgia Pacific touts it as “commercially compostable,” but according to the Greenwashing blog, the cup is made of non-compostable polyethylene and has not passed the necessary tests to be certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute – a must for the compostabilty claim. Two words for GP packaging prez Terry Cinotte: false advertising.

Mind-blowing meals

Turns out most veggie burgers are not a kinder, gentler companion for fries. Most of them are made with the neurotoxin hexane, which is also an EPA-registered air pollutant according to Mother Jones. Nobody knows for sure if the hexane residue in the patties is enough to cause nervous system disorders like those suffered by workers exposed to it in soy processing plants. Among the culprit brands is Amy’s Kitchen; good thing Amy Berliner’s favorite food is pizza.

Click and cry

The European Union stamped its eco-label seal of approval on two brands of copy paper made from timber logged from a rapidly disappearing Sumatran rainforest.

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment in Liz Barrett’s news column, Green Scene, covering what’s fascinating in green weekly.

Image: ingridtaylar

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