Summer Squash Fritters

     The husband and I have been on a mainly vegetarian kick as of  lately.(Keeping some seafood. We live on the Gulf Coast for goodness sake.) We don't have anything against meat, we actually LOVE it. (Don't get between me and a rare steak.) But we are trying our best to drop some weight and lower my cholesterol. So we figured we would load up on veggies and low cal proteins for a while. This has certainly taken me out of my comfort zone in the kitchen. (I am the queen of roasted chicken.) But when this journey is all said and done, I believe I will be a much better cook for it, and hopefully a few pounds lighter.
     Lastnights veggie journey brought me to an over abundance of yellow squash and zucchini in my fridge. I automatically thought of a whole grain pasta dish with olive oil, oregano, and lightly sauteed squash. Although it sounded delish, I was immediately bloated and tired to just think of it. So my search for something lighter took me to my recipe board on Pinterest. After looking over several zucchini fritter recipes, I formed a plan in my head and got to work. There were a few hiccups along the way, but some slight tweeking resulted in something that reminded me of the delicious fried squash my grandmother made for me as a child, but without as much fat, and a bit more filling. Pair them with a salad and a glass of white wine, and you have a very nice summer meal. Enjoy!

The 'Sippi Hippie

Summer Squash Fritters

6 small zucchinis

3 small yellow squash

3 eggs

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cracked pepper

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

6 tablespoons whole wheat flour

After washing your squash and zucchini, cut off the stem and blossom ends. Then grate. This is where my food processor comes in handy. It has a grating blade that makes this chore last all of 30 seconds.

( I added 2 more zucchinis and 1 squash after this pic)

I then dumped the shredded squash into a clean dish towel and pressed as much water out as possible. This will help your fritters cook up more crisp and not soggy. Next, I put the shredded squash into a large bowel and added the remaining ingredients. Using my hands, I thoroughly mixed. Super messy and fun! I cooked the fritters in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat with just a splash of olive oil. I used 2 or 3 tablespoons to form each fritter, and put 3 fritters in at a time so as not to over crowd the pan. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side. I stored my cooked fritters on a cookie sheet covered in baking paper in an oven on 250 degrees until all were cooked and ready to serve.

(These would be great with a dollop of greek yogurt on top.)