ZUCCHINI LATKES

Serves 4 What are latkes you ask? Well, I know them as little potato pancakes that I like to eat with applesauce. Since we missed them we thought these fun and surprising little green cakes would be a good substitute. They’re even better, actually! They’re slightly sweet and a delicious addition to your normal eggs in the morning. Add bacon and eggs and you’ll have a plate resembling green eggs and ham! Once these are hot and ready, serve them with a traditional topping—Applesauce! They’re also great served as a savory side with chicken for dinner. You could even store them in the fridge when you want an on-the-go snack. We promise, you will like them in a house, you will like them with a mouse. Perhaps even on a train, but make sure they’re allowed on a plane before you pack them in your bag! INGREDIENTS • 1 medium zucchini, peeled and grated (about 1½ cups) • dash of salt • 1 egg • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) cinnamon • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) honey • 1 tsp vanilla • 3 Tbsp (45 ml) coconut oil, plus more as needed INSTRUCTIONS AND HOW KIDS CAN HELP 1. Add zucchini to a mesh strainer, sprinkle with salt and drain for 30 minutes, press out as much liquid as you can or else this will become more of a moist pancake than a crispy patty. 2. Combine strained zucchini, egg, cinnamon, honey and vanilla in a bowl and mix with little hands. 3. Form into patties, about 3 inches diameter and about ½ inch thick. 4. Heat coconut oil in medium frying pan over medium heat. 5. Cook zucchini cakes about 6–8 minutes per side until golden brown. 6. Add more oil to pan between batches to prevent sticking and repeat steps until all latkes are cooked.

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Zucchini latkes replace the potato with one grated zucchini and swap the onion for cinnamon, honey, and vanilla — a slightly sweet green patty that fries up crisp in coconut oil and lands somewhere between latke and pancake. They're the surprise hit of a paleo breakfast plate, especially with a dollop of applesauce alongside bacon and eggs.

Pro Tips

• The 30-minute salt-and-drain in a mesh strainer is the whole recipe — press out as much liquid as you can, or you'll fry moist pancakes instead of crispy patties.
• Keep them small: three inches across and about half an inch thick. Little patties hold together when you flip; big ones fall apart.
• Give them 6 to 8 minutes per side over medium heat and resist moving them — the crust forms while they sit still.
• Add more coconut oil between batches; the first round absorbs most of it, and dry pans cause sticking more than heat does.
• One tablespoon of cinnamon sounds like a typo but it's the signature — lean in, and let the applesauce play off it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my zucchini latkes come out soggy?

Almost always moisture — the grated zucchini needs its full 30-minute salt drain and then a hard press to squeeze out every drop of liquid before it meets the egg and spices.

Are zucchini latkes sweet or savory?

Genuinely both — the honey and vanilla pull them toward breakfast, but they're equally at home as a savory side with chicken, and the green middles stay vegetal.

Are these Whole30?

No — the tablespoon of honey rules it out. They're fully paleo though: zucchini, egg, spices, honey, and coconut oil and nothing else.

Can I make them ahead?

They fridge well as an on-the-go snack; re-crisp them for a few minutes in a lightly oiled pan so the edges come back.

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