Zucchini Fritters (Low Carb & Gluten-Free)

When I’m asked why do I like to cook so much, I have but one answer ‘Because I like to eat!’
Yup, that's pretty much it.
I like to eat good food and since I want to eat what I like, I’ll make it myself. I'm in charge of the process, I know what goes in, no surprises.
I also refuse the idea of not being able to feed myself. If another human being can cook a certain dish, so can I. It's not quantum physics, it's cooking. It can be elaborate but never impossible.
I also like to cook because it feels like a challenge — taking a few ingredients that are not that special on their own, and combining them together to create something that tastes amazing. A very rewarding process.
OK, not everything comes always out as planned. At times, you try to create something and ‘try’ really is the key word, or better yet, the only thing that you’re left with.



I also like the fact that you use your hands and that it’s a very creative process. I’m not super talented in other aspects of creating with my mind and hands (I’m so jealous of people who can paint, draw, write music, etc...) so cooking gives me an outlet for that.
And then there’s the part when you see other people enjoying something that you have created. I love to sit down at the table and share food and conversation and seeing your friends and family actually really savouring the food you have cooked for them. There’s nothing quite like it.
It’s a lot of fun too. It’s a bit like playing the chemistry set. You add a little bit of this and a little bit of that, trying a new technique a new ingredient. So many variables in play, so many things that can go wrong, but also so many things that can go right.
You wait with trepidation until the very last moment when you finally taste what you’ve cooked, hoping that it will send your tastebuds in awe.

Last - but not least - there’s the part where cooking gives you a better understanding and knowledge of where your food came from, how it is grown or raised, how it can interact with your body.
All in all, cooking gives you a better understanding of the food you eat. [I know this sounds a tad hippie, but it’s one the bonuses of cooking.]
 
Let’s move onto these fritters. These are more or less like potato latkes, minus the potatoes plus the zucchini.
It’s one of the easiest and yummiest way to use those zucchini left in the fridge (yeah, I know you have them too).
Basically you have to grate the zucchini (if you have a food processor, please use it), squeeze the bejesus out them draining off as much excess liquid as possible. mix in a couple of ingredients and fry the fritters in the thickest frying pan you have (ideally a cast-iron pan).
You are in for a treat!

Zucchini Fritters (Low Carb & Gluten-free)                                                          Print this recipe!
Adapted from Everyday Food and SmittenKitchen

Ingredients
Makes about 12 fritters

2 medium zucchini
1 ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt, divided
2 scallions, very thinly sliced
1 large free-range organic egg, lightly beaten
½ cup almond flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 200°F (100°C) and place a rack in the middle.
Trim ends of zucchini and grate them with a medium sized grater (or, if you have one, using the shredding blade of a food processor), so you get decent shreds of zucchini.
In a large colander, toss zucchini with 1 teaspoon of salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
Pick up small handfuls of grated zucchini and squeeze out as much liquid as you can (alternatively you can wrap zucchini in clean dishtowel or a piece of cheesecloth and wringing away, but using your hands yields best results).
Once squeezed, place zucchini in a large bowl and stir in scallions, egg, and some ground black pepper. In a separate dish stir together almond flour, baking powder and Parmesan (if using), then add to the zucchini and stir until combined.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Drop spoonfuls of zucchini mixture onto the skillet (only a few at a time), press them flat with the help of a spatula and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
Drain briefly on paper towels to soak up any excess grease, and immediately transfer to an oven proof dish and then into the hot oven until ready to eat.
Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt or some sour cream and sprinkle with finely chopped scallions, if you like.

Nutrition facts

One fritter yields 42 calories, 3.1 grams of fat, 2.2 grams of carbs and 2.1 grams of protein.