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Monday, August 9, 2021

Ready to 'Share' some Zucchini? by Vicky Spelman

University of Maryland Extension


The saying goes... Give a person a fish, he eats for a day.  Teach a person to garden, and the whole neighborhood gets zucchini!  

Facts...
Squash is a member of the cucurbita family, which includes melons, pumpkins, cucumbers, and gourds.
Summer squash take 35-45 days to come into flowering, depending on temperature and variety. 
Summer squash are generally harvested immature (3-5 days after the flower opens). If left on the vine longer, the skin begins to toughen and quality decreases. 
Mississippi State University Extension


Handle carefully as the fruits bruise easily.  Will keep for 5 to 14 days in cool (32°- 50°F), moist (90% Relative Humidity) conditions.
Zucchinis contain 95%water; a small one contains about 25 calories. Substitute zucchini for a baked potato and save more than 100 calories.
Zucchinis were first brought to the United States in the 1920s by the Italians.
Courgette is what the French and the British call zucchini.
The flowers of the zucchini plant are edible. Fried squash blossoms are considered a delicacy.

University of Maryland Extension


Zucchini is fat free, cholesterol free, low in sodium, rich in manganese and vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana.
One pound of zucchini equals about 4 cups grated zucchini; about 1 cup mashed zucchini; and 3 cups chunked zucchini.
Zucchini bread is one of the most popular ways to use zucchini.
Bigger is not necessarily better. Small to medium sized zucchinis are the most flavorful and the darker the skin, the richer the nutrients.