Zucchini Fritters with Tomato and Avocado Salsa

What an incredible year it’s been.

On a personal note, I have surrendered myself to the throws of motherhood. Yep, it’s been a full body immersion – head, heart and soul. (Oh sleep how I miss thee). But there’s been no greater gift than taking this year and a half off to focus on my sweet little bebe.

Yes, it’s meant that work on the blog has taken a backseat…even my own career has been put on hold while I deeply consider where I need to be right now. It’s all just momentarily while I adorn myself in this new chapter of firsts. First tooth, first words, first steps, first time in someone else’s care, first tantrums (or tanties as us Aussies like to say)!

And through all of this; the endless cuddles and kisses, nappy changes and cherished moments breast feeding in the early hours of the morning, I have witnessed personal growth on a new level. And it’s exciting.

*Warning* this is a long post but stick with me! (There’s a recipe at the end)

Motherhood has changed me. There’s no doubt about it. I want more from life – to feel I am really contributing and helping to change the world in some small way. Particularly now that I have someone who I will leave behind.

I find myself even more passionate about health and wellness (the whole reason for creating this space!) and driven to lead by example in looking after this place we call home. I’m so much more conscious of the way we live our lives and am deeply committed to trying to leave this planet in the best condition for our children to enjoy in the future.

We have so many things to be grateful for and as the new year approaches, I am excited to tread a new path.

Anyway I could go on, but I’ll save it for a future post. Plus, I’m here to share a recipe!!

This is my latest go-to meal that also happens to be baby led weaning (BLW) friendly and therefore just that little bit easier for bub to manage. And since I’m finding myself on the floor cleaning up after her a lot more these days, I’m all for meals that don’t end up in a million different pieces! So this makes the aftermath a little easier on mum too.

Nourishing my little chicken with quality whole foods has been my number one priority from the moment I found out I was preggas. (Ok, except for that awful first trimester where anything to keep you from hurling goes, right?!)

The more veggies I can squeeze into her meals the better. But I’ll be the first to admit it’s no easy feat! Hitting the 1 year mark, I expected that things would start to change as she started to become more, what’s the word…knowing? Independent? Defiant?

So whilst steamed broccoli and carrots are still on the menu, they can be a little boring over time. In fact, she’s done well to stay interested in them thus far!

One of the best ways to meet my eat more veggies protocol was to obviously start cranking out those go to favourites where they are all in one. Fritters. Falafels. Frittatas. Savoury muffins. The list goes on.

So here it is, a quick and easy meal that the whole family can enjoy (’cause who’s got time to make different meals for everyone?!) And more importantly, ends up in little tummies more than on the floor! Well, sort of.

Nutrition Facts

Before we dive into the recipe it would be remiss of me not to cover some of the nutritional benefits of this dish.

Zucchini is obviously the hero here and just happens to be one of my all time favourite veggies simply due to it’s versatility. It can go in most dishes, raw or cooked. It’s awesome when spiralised into zoodles as a low carb, gluten free alternative to pasta, and has a nice creamy neutral taste. Not to mention, is bursting with these vital vitamins and nutrients:

Vitamin C – not only a great immune booster, but assists with the absorption of iron, and is an antioxidant
Antioxidants – to fight free radical build up in the body i.e. anti ageing!
Fibre – important for digestive health and regulating blood sugar levels
B vitamins (B1/thiamine, B2/riboflavin, B6/pyridoxine, B3) – various functions related to cognitive ability and metabolism
Potassium – helps to control blood pressure

Best thing is it’s in season right now – our Australian summer time! So they are ripe for the picking. Make sure you go down and visit your local farmers markets and stock up as they will be much cheaper, fresher and better quality.

I have also used buckwheat flour instead of the usual conventional, highly refined wheat based flours which are nutrient void. Buckwheat flour is an excellent source of manganese, dietary fibre and protein! As buckwheat is not actually a grain it is also naturally free of gluten, and non-allergenic.

These fritters pair so well with avo! And as you are probably aware, avocado is loaded with healthy fats that boost brain function and promote cellular health. So don’t be afraid to load up on this!

(Serves 3-4)

Ingredients

3 medium zucchinis grated
Pinch of salt
1 large carrot grated
Small handful of parsley chopped
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1 Tbs dill (dried or fresh)
1 tsp nutmeg
2 organic free range eggs
2 tsp lemon zest (or 1 drop lemon food grade essential oil)
Coconut oil for frying

Salsa

2 avocados
3/4 punnet cherry tomatoes or 3 roma tomatoes chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
1 lime squeezed
Feta for serving (optional)

Method

Grate the zucchini and set aside in a colander or sieve with a pinch of salt to help it draw out as much moisture as possible. (If you have a food processor or Thermomix with a grater insert, this saves a lot of time!)
Grate carrot and add to a large mixing bowl along with the parsley, buckwheat flour, dill, nutmeg, eggs and lemon zest
Go back to the zucchini and squeeze out as much of the moisture as possible. I usually do this while it’s siting in the colander or sieve and really get a kick out of seeing the pool of water dripping into the bowl!
Add the zucchini to the rest of the mixture and stir to combine well. If the mixture is too wet, simply add more flour.
Melt the coconut oil in a frying pan on high heat and scoop out small balls of the zucchini mixture. I usually have 3 going at once in the pan
Gently press them down to flatten and flip after a couple of minutes or until browned
While these are cooking, turn down the heat to medium and start chopping your avocados into a bowl
Add in the rest of the salsa ingredients and mix well
Feel free to season your fritters with salt and pepper. But omit the salt if feeding to bubs.

Try to use certified organic ingredients where possible.

The best thing about these fritters is that you really can use whatever you have in the fridge! So if you don’t have parsley, use coriander – whatever floats your boat. I sometimes sprinkle a bit of nutritional yeast, or drizzle a bit of tahini mixed with olive oil and lemon if I’m out of avocados! De-lish!

In the meantime, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas wherever you are. Stay safe and look after yourself!

I’m looking forward to sharing with you more in the new year – that’s a promise!

References

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002404.htm

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/vitamin-b