Mac’n’Zucchini

The other day my daughter and I went out for lunch. She ordered a Lobster Mac’n’Cheese & OMG, it looked so good! I know she doesn’t share (get yo own!) and I know that I don’t eat cheese or pasta BUT I had to take a bite ….and it was even better than it looked!

It got me to thinking that I would love to get the same feels without having to add in cheese or even pasta. And that’s when the dabbling started to happen. 

But let me touch on this for a sec and ask you all a few questions — do you basically “throw in the towel” on weekends or when you’re eating out? I mean, if you do in fact eat relatively healthy on average, is there any meal or time that you just say, “What the heck? I’m just gonna go for it …..” and then pay for it later? OK! So I ask these things because of this. I get asked a lot about what I eat when I go out and how do I make my lifestyle stay in tact when ordering out. 

HERE’S THE THING

I do try and make the healthiest choices possible when dining out. Clearly we don’t know what oils they might be adding to their pans or even if there’s some kind of flour added to a recipe unless we ask. I personally try and eat at restaurants that offer the best choices for how I choose to fuel my body BUT I won’t steer clear of a place if that’s where my friends chose to go. I honestly just make the best choice I can from what’s offered on the menu. I ask a few questions, then tell the server ‘I might be a little difficult’ (and 9x out of 10 they admit that my difficulty is nothing that they assumed it would be) and either modify and/or make substitutions. 

Another question I get a lot is this: “So, do you workout harder since you gave in and ate frozen yogurt?” Hmmmm, well …..’nope’. And while that’s a lot of people’s mentality, it’s not mine. If I do choose to eat frozen yogurt (and my decision isn’t based on anything OTHER than the dairy bothers me a bit later), I enjoy it!!!! I get some dark chocolate chips and chopped almonds for toppings and enjoy every single bite. I do not feel that I need to “work that off” because my diet is nutrient dense and healthy 99.9% of the time. I don’t reward myself with food/treats because I worked out extra hard, nor do I work off a treat because I’m afraid that it might have been too many calories etc.

I bring this up because I’m not going to stop eating out and enjoying food with my family and friends just because they may not cook it with the most healthiest & nutrient dense ingredients. I do not feel I need to work out extra hard because I indulged in sweet potato fries at my favorite burger joint. I will enjoy those fries and move on. I also don’t feel like just because we’ve been “good” all week long, that we can gorge out on all the crap we want all weekend. That is something I can’t grasp at all. I feel amazing on a daily basis but I think if I were to crap load my body every single weekend because I was “good” all week, it would just take a huge spin on my hormonal balance and gut health. I eat to thrive and be healthy – not to keep the scale at a certain number or jean size. It’s my way of life so weekends are just another day in the week and I fuel my body the same way I do on a Monday or Tuesday. 

So, there’s that. What’s your take? I am certainly not judging anyone who chooses to fuel differently than I do — my hubby for one, has his own journey and I respect that because 80% of the time, he’s on track with nutrition. 

And speaking of my hubby, he LOVED this dish! He asked for more, took some to work the next day and polished off the rest the night after that! SO! If you’re itching for a tweak on how to make zucchini, make this recipe! He’s my true tester because he’s quite honest — and if he loves, I’m sure you will too! 

Mac'n'Zucchini

2017-06-25 12:07:16

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Ingredients

1. 2 cups diced zucchini (about 2 small yellow squash & 2 small zucchinis)
2. 1 heaping cup + 2 tbsp macadamia nuts
3. 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cashew milk
4. 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
5. 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
6. 1/2 heaping tsp salt
7. 1 tbsp ghee
8. 2 tbsp crushed macadamia nuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Dice zucchini/squash into chunks (I slice veggie into slices, then quarter those slices). Set aside.
3. Using a small food processor or blender, blend the cup of macadamia nuts to create a 'butter'. Add cashew (or favorite milk) to the blender and blend. Add in nutritional yeast, garlic powder & salt to incorporate.
4. In a baking dish, add the zucchini chunks and macadamia mix and combine. Once combined, smooth out a bit to an even layer.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
6. Mix the ghee and 2 tbsp crushed macadamia nuts in a small bowl.
7. Take out of oven and turn oven to broil. Spoon and smooth as best as you can, the ghee/macadamia topping.
8. Place under broiler for 3 minutes.
9. Serve with your favorite protein.

Notes

1. It thickens as it sits so it is a great make-ahead dish!

By Cocos Paleo Kitchen

Cocos Paleo Kitchen https://www.cocospaleokitchen.com/