A great little snack or side! John reached out with another one of his go-to recipes that helps fill the gap for a quick fix when the hunger pangs are calling on a modified diet 😋
Remember John? He was our two time survivor of head a neck cancer, living inspiration and creative in the kitchen that we interviewed not too long ago. He generously shared his story with us and now, he continues to generously share his favourite recipes to inspire and make life a little easier for others- an absolute legend 💪🏼 🏆
Admittedly, John's original recipe doesn't stipulate that you need to remove the skins but that's because he has tried and tested recipes based on his own ability to chew and swallow. Putting my speech pathologist hat on, I'm going to recommend taking the skin off. They can be quite fibrous and leathery, even if they do cook down to be fairly soft. Not to mention that level 7- easy to chew, and level 6- soft and bite sized recommend removing it to in order to avoid a choking risk or difficulty chewing.
Of course, you know yourself or the person you're caring for best. If you know they can handle something like a zucchini skin- by all means.
On the other hand, zucchini also has seeds but I've decided to sway the other way with this one. I don't think I've ever had a zucchini seed come loose in my mouth unlike something like a cucumber. I don't think the seeds in a zucchini pose a choking risk and therefore I've decided they are unlikely to be a problem in this recipe for people recommended an easy to chew diet.
John very cleverly recommended "thinly" slicing the zucchini. This makes them easier and quicker to cook, softer to chew and also adds to the gentle simplicity of the dish. The zucchini is more likely to pass the fork test the thinner it is sliced. Careful though, the thinner you cut it, the more pieces you end up with and I'd hate for your zucchini slices not to fit on the base of the pan! If this is the case, you could try using a bigger pan or cooking the zucchini in two batches and cracking another egg to pour over the top of your second batch. Just remember to whisk and flavour it the same!
Now as a person who doesn't require a modified diet, I can tell you now, snacking is troublesome enough. I try to avoid processed and pre-prepared products from the shop but I must admit, they often get the best of me. When I'm trying to prepare pre-cooked snacks for the week, it's often things like frittata's, quiches, and cooked vegetables that end up being my substitute. The same goes for people with dysphagia. If those preprepared options aren't available to you and that handful of nuts or Arnott's biscuit isn't going to cut it, something like this zucchini frittata is quick, cheap, easy and lasts well in the fridge. Snacking with dysphagia is an area that John briefly touched on and he's certainly found some handy tricks and go-to recipes to help fill this gap ✨
One of John's last messages when sending this recipe through was "Stay tuned for more of John's recipes. Be creative- maybe add some cheese or mixed herbs"... well, you heard the man 😎
Fried Zucchini
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 whole zucchinis
2 eggs
1 tsp of Vegeta
Pepper to taste
3 tbsp of olive oil
METHOD
1. Peel the zucchini and cut off both ends.
2. Cut the zucchini into thin slices.
3. Beat the eggs in a medium sized bowl until well combined and add pepper.
4. Dip the zucchini slices into the egg, making sure each piece is well coated.
5. Add the olive oil to a warm pan and allow to heat gently.
6. Cover the base of the pan with the egg covered zucchini slices and allow to gently fry on a low to medium heat for approximately 7-10 minutes or until soft.
7. Poor the remaining beaten egg over the zucchini as evenly as possible.
8. Continue to cook on the same heat for approximately 3-5 more minutes until the egg has set.
Serve immediately while warm or enjoy it cooled at a later time ✨
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