Greek Zucchini Fritters

Greek Zucchini Fritters:

INGREDIENTS

1. 2 lbs. zucchini (about 4 medium)

2. Kosher salt

3. 4 scallions, sliced (about ¾ cup)

4. 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped dill

5. 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped parsley

6. 1 large egg

7. 1 egg white

8. ⅔ cup crumbled feta cheese (PHASE 2)

9. 1 scoop unflavored collagen or egg white (protein) powder

10. ½ teaspoon baking powder

11. ¼ cup ground flax (PHASE 2)

12. Black pepper

13. Nonstick olive oil spray

14. Lemon wedges for serving

Tzatziki: PHASE 2

1. ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

2. ⅓ cup finely chopped or grated cucumber

3. 1 clove garlic, minced

4. 1 teaspoon lemon juice

5. 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped dill

Directions:

1. To make the Tzatziki, mix the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice and dill together in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. To make the fritters, grate the zucchini (with skin on) on a box grater. Grate the zucchini at an angle to get long strands.

3. Place the grated zucchini in a colander lined with cheesecloth. If you don’t have cheesecloth, you can place the zucchini directly in the colander. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt on the zucchini and toss to combine.

4. Let the zucchini rest for 20 minutes, then gather up the ends of the cheesecloth and wring all of the liquid out. If you’re not using cheesecloth, you can squeeze the water out of the zucchini with your hands in batches or use a kitchen towel. It is important to squeeze out as much water as possible so that the fritters aren’t soggy- you’ll be amazed at how much water comes out!

5. Place the zucchini in a large mixing bowl and add the scallions, dill, parsley, egg, and egg white. Mix with a fork to combine.

6. Add the cheese (PHASE2),  egg white protein powder, baking powder, ground flax (PHASE 2), ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix with a fork to combine all ingredients well.

7. Heat a large cast iron skillet or nonstick frying pan over medium heat and coat with non-stick oil spray generously.

8. Place 8 dollops (about 2 tablespoons each) of the zucchini mixture into the pan and flatten them slightly with a spatula. The more you flatten them, the crispier the fritters will be.

9. Cook 3-4 minutes until a golden brown crust forms, then flip them over. Cook another 2-3 minutes until browned underneath again.

10. Remove the fritters from the pan.

11. Serve fritters hot and garnish with fresh herbs and lemon wedges. Serve with Tzatziki or plain Greek yogurt.

-Makes 3-4 servings; 1 serving= 1 vegetable; 1/2 protein; 1 dairy (if you use cheese)