Summer Veggie Breakfast

These recipes are a great way to use up some of your summer vegetable and fruit harvest. I used up some summer squash, zucchini, cucumber, potatoes and peaches. I also cooked up some maple sausage links to add protein to the meal.

Crispy potato-vegetable cakes

1 1/2-2 cups potatoes peeled and shredded
1 cup zucchini, shredded
1 cup cucumber, shredded
3/4 tsp table salt (more or less to taste)
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp dried onions
2 Tbsp uncooked cornmeal
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/8 tsp black pepper (more or less to taste)
2 Tbsp olive oil

Toss the potatoes, zucchini, cucumber and salt in a medium bowl. Let stand 10 minutes. Squeeze out the liquids and discard. Stir in the egg, salt, onions , cornmeal, rosemary, and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop 1/4 cup of the potato mixture (rolled into a loose ball) and flatten with a spatula. Cook until lightly browned, about 12 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture.

Summer Squash Pancakes with Peach Topping

2 cups summer squash, grated (zucchini could be used as well)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 cup biscuit mix
2 Tbsp ground flax (can be omitted)
milk, as needed

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add enough milk as necessary to make a thin pancake-like batter. Drop onto skillet or griddle. Turn over when bottom is golden and cook until browned on both sides.

2 large peaches (thinly sliced)
3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp butter

Combine all ingredients into a skillet and heat on medium high until peaches are cooked through and sugar/butter mixture forms a glaze on the peaches. Top pancakes with peaches and sauce. (you could also substitute other fruits if you had them).

Garlic Spaghetti with Kale and Italian Sausage

1 bunch of Kale
a handful of garlic flowers (also called garlic scapes)
two shallots
3 tbsp olive oil (split)
2-3 Italian sausages
4-5 garlic cloves
spaghetti (enough for 4 people)
2 tbsp lemon juice
Parmesan cheese

Wash the kale, leave water on the leaves. Slice kale off stems and ribs. Slice into 1/2 inch strips cross-wise. Chop the garlic flowers into 1/4 inch or smaller pieces. Dice the shallots.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot or pan on medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic flowers and saute for about 3-4 minutes, until shallots become transparent and tender.

Press or dice the garlic cloves and add to the shallots and garlic flowers. Saute for 2-3 more minutes. Add the remaining tbsp of olive oil and the kale. Toss with shallots and garlic and cook until the kale is wilted (about 3-4 minutes). Cover and let cook for about 20 more minutes until the kale is nice and tender. Stir occasionally and add water by the tbsp if the pan dries out. Be sure to have enough steam in the pot to cook the kale.

Begin cooking the Italian sausage. Slice when cooked.

While the kale is cooking down, start boiling the water for the spaghetti. Cook until it has a slight bite and is not quite tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the spaghetti to the pot with the kale mixture and toss. Add the lemon juice, sausage and cooking liquid. Toss and cook for another 5 minutes until noodles are coated and everything is well mixed.

Serve with shredded parmesan cheese.