Zucchini Rice Gratin

I state the obvious when I say that zucchini season is in full swing. Every day around here we are bringing in armfuls of fresh squash and zucchini from the garden. So goes the wonderful summer bounty, and we are so grateful for it. We're also bursting with plump, red tomatoes (my personal fave... sliced and sprinkled with a little salt... mmmm). So this dish was the perfect way to use up a good quantity of the fresh produce piling up on the kitchen counter.

Not to mention that it's also simply delicious.

This gratin is quite simple. You cook your rice, roast your veges in the oven, mix up a few eggs with some cheese and fresh thyme, then layer it all in a dish. A little more cheese. Bake. And voila! A yummy, healthy, fresh summer meal in no time.

I hope you all are getting to enjoy the fresh summer produce as much as we are! Enjoy :)

Notes: Upon reading the original recipe, I could tell two things: 1) it was going to be good and 2) there was no way the it would feed our whole family for dinner. So the recipe below is exactly how I prepared it for our meal. It is double the original. If you want to cut it in half, feel free to, but just know it will yield side-dish serving sizes. I also used a few yellow squash along with zucchini, and that worked just fine. Use what you've got!

Adapted from Gourmet, and can also be seen on Smitten Kitchen

This post shared on The Nourishing Gourmet

Swiss Chard, Sweet Potato, & Feta Tart with Teff Crust

Hi there! Isn't it a lovely day? The tulips have bloomed into an array of pastel shades, the birds are singing outside my window this morning, and the sun is bright and beautiful. Sigh...

There's not much to share this morning that can compare with the loveliness outside. Mother Nature is an undefeated competitor in my book. Though I am feeling rather brave today... How about a delightful little tart? It's a fave. (As is basically everything I share here on this little bloggity.) But when you're craving something a little bit sweet and a little bit salty, a little bit crunchy and a little bit creamy, and a lot a bit delicious, here it is.

Savory tarts are one of my weaknesses. Especially since the discovery of a fantastic tart crust. I enjoy filling this crust with almost any combination of lovely things. Pop it in the oven for a bit and it becomes hearty, healthy comfort food at its finest.

I do hope the weather in your neighborhood is as gorgeous as it is here. Spring has sprung! And although is seems that Mother Nature has won yet again, I'd say this tart comes in pretty darn close. So go make a tart and enjoy the sunshine and blooming flowers :)

Notes: The original recipe calls for chard in the filling. If you don't have any on hand, I've also had great success with spinach in its place. I've also switched out the original tart crust for the one I mentioned above. It comes from Maria Speck and is simply wonderful. I did adjust Maria's recipe to include the teff flour of the original. Once again, if you don't have any teff on hand, regular white whole wheat flour will substitute just fine.

Adapted from Fine Cooking and Maria Speck's Ancient Grains for Modern Meals