Crap Gap & 5 Ways to Use a BIG Zucchini
I'm no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I'm changing the things I cannot accept.
Angela Davis
Halfway through September! I’m throwing a high 5 out to each and everyone of you, because as I was reminded of lately, September is no joke. It’s no joke for people without a debilitating disease but with one? It’s like an April fools joke. A mean one.
Back in January 2022 when I was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, I didn’t realize what I was doing when we scheduled my very first rituximab infusion. I was in the middle of my first full relapse or flareup, and just wanted medicine. Anything that would help. When I was diagnosed so quickly, saw a neurologist within a month, and they told me I would be put on the most potent drug so that we could hit it hard, I was ecstatic! I felt like I hit the lottery! Within 3 months, almost to the day, I received my first infusion! It did not occur to me that my biannual infusion was set right there and then. Every April and October for the rest of my life or until the infusion stops working, will be my infusion dates. As someone that likes to plan, I wish I would have been able to plan that to be more advantageous for the rest of my life 😂.
I didn’t know then, but there’s this thing called, the Crap Gap. And oh baby, am I in the thick of it! Up to my neck in the Crap Gap. My infusion is given to me, and all other MS patients every 6 months, as close to the day as possible. I’m still unsure as to whether this is for the good of the patient or the insurance companies? The conclusion is the same, regardless, as we get closer to infusion time, the medicine begins to wear off. Of course, my neurologist says that, "it's just in my head" but it’s not. I try to write all my symptoms down, I try to get a gauge for how my disease is progressing, what my triggers are, and what I can do to maintain an active lifestyle as close to what I had pre-MS as possible. So, last year I really saw the effects as the infusion wore off. Even more so this past winter/spring. From what I have seen, 6 to 8 weeks before my infusion, I start to feel the fatigue and the nerve pain. It's weird because you forget how much it hurts... when it doesn't hurt.
The summer has its own variables, such as visitors, the heat, and the smoke. These last 2 weeks of summer killed me. We have talked and from now on we will keep our visitors towards early summer and keep the end of summer open for more rest and time with the Kids.
Our summers revolve around our visitors. Happily. We get 8 weeks where we can visit with our loved ones that don’t live close by. That’s one of the best things about living here! Visitors and having a business that does the majority of our work during the summer months, has left us making new traditions. Every year, we do a family trip at the end of August or in September. That way we get time with all of our loved ones and the Kids get a little vacation as well. Because let’s be real, vacationing with Kids is not really a vacation for parents! 😂 We were planning on going to Edmonton for 5 days next week to see Banksy and visit family, however, the exhibition got cancelled and honestly, there’s no way I could drive 13 hours, go shopping, do fun city activities, go hiking in Jasper, and drive 13 hours back. Maybe after my infusion? Maybe even 2 months ago? But during the Crap Gap? Not a chance.
So, we will have to make some sacrifices. Roll with the punches, and do something else. This is hard on the Kids. SBean did not take the change in plans well. At. All 😂. They love me, they appreciate me, I know this… But I also know that they resent my illness. They resent every single time Ninja says, "I’m not sure Mommy can do that".
It sucks. MS sucks. Planning my week, to make sure the next week is manageable, sucks. The Crap Gap, sucks. My Neurologist not believing in the Crap Gap, sucks. Working during the Crap Gap because the government defines disabled differently then disabled people do, sucks.
That's my MS update. It sucks.
BUT, my life... doesn't suck. My family doesn't suck, having amazing and compassionate clients that understand my illness doesn't suck, going on a short trip this week doesn't suck and YOU all don't suck! So thank you! Thank you for reminding me with all your likes, shares, comments and interactions that not everything sucks. Somethings are wonderful! And THAT'S what I am going to focus on for the next 4 weeks until I get infused back to life 😉💛.
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #346: I Can’t Call It That! HERE! This week, we get together to chat: Demon Car, Winnipeg sayings, Midwives, some crazy kid stories, haircuts, cancelled trip, more Taylor, & dream songs.
I wish I had a green thumb. My Mom had a green thumb. Her cousin is a florist, and another cousin has the one of the most beautiful gardens in Naramata! When I look down the line of my Mom’s side, there are some obvious traits, loud voices, MS, and gardening. I got 2 out of the 3 🤪😂. My elderly neighbour is a gardener and last month he dropped off 2 giant zucchinis, which I happily used up! You can see what I made, HERE! Last week he dropped off 2 more! Ninja grated it up and after we had 2 dinners using zucchini, I still had 8 cups of the shredded vegetable! So, I may not be a gardener, but I do know how to cook, and although I may not be able to grow the vegetables myself, I found new and delicious ways to use up every bit of that autumn bounty!
Last year we made a delicious zucchini spice bread that we loved so that was the first item I baked up for school lunches! I also made chocolate zucchini muffins, ooey gooey and delicious chocolate zucchini brownies with 1 minute frosting, and absolutely delicious zucchini white cheddar biscuits that I froze and have been popping into the air fryer to accompany all of our fall dinners! I also made a phenomenal zucchini quiche, and I froze a few cups for later! Everyone of these recipes was a winner, and I will absolutely be keeping them in my back pocket for next September!
1 3/4 cups zucchini
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly coat a loaf pan with cooking spray, and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, oil, vanilla, and eggs.
Into a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.
Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and stir to combine well. Stir in grated zucchini.
Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in centre of loaf comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack, then reinvert, top side up. Cool completely before slicing.
Adapted from Just So Tasty
1 cup zucchini, grated
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a 12 muffin pan (mine made 15 🤪) with muffin papers.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a 12 muffin pan (mine made 15 🤪) with muffin papers.
Using a paper towel, squeeze out any excess liquid from the grated zucchini.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk.
Fold in the grated zucchini and chocolate chips.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake muffins in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are rounded and an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
White Cheddar Basil Zucchini Quiche
Adapted from Food Folks and Fun
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 cup zucchini, grated
1/4 red onion, diced small
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 8 ounce deep-dish frozen pie shell, thawed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a skillet with a lid, over medium-low heat, heat oil. Add zucchini, red onion, garlic, and salt and cook, covered, until onions are tender and zucchinis have released their liquid, about 7 minutes.
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 cup zucchini, grated
1/4 red onion, diced small
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 8 ounce deep-dish frozen pie shell, thawed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a skillet with a lid, over medium-low heat, heat oil. Add zucchini, red onion, garlic, and salt and cook, covered, until onions are tender and zucchinis have released their liquid, about 7 minutes.
Uncover and cook until the bottom of the pan is dry, often stirring, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer zucchini filling to medium bowl, toss with basil and flour and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Fold in zucchini filling, white cheddar and Parmesan cheeses.
Place unbaked pie crust on top of the baking sheet, and pour the mixture into pie crust.
Bake for 40 minutes and cool for 15-20 minutes.
Zucchini White Cheddar Biscuits
Adapted from Just a Little Bit of Bacon
1/2 cup zucchini, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup white cheddar, shredded
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
3/4 cup buttermilk
Adapted from Just a Little Bit of Bacon
1/2 cup zucchini, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup white cheddar, shredded
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
3/4 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 450F.
Mix together shredded zucchini and salt and set aside.
Pulse the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal and there are no large lumps of butter left. Add the cheese and herbs and pulse to combine.
Add the buttermilk and pulse a few times, until the dough gathers into clumps. Scrape the biscuit dough into a large bowl.
Wrap the zucchini in a cloth or paper towel and squeeze it to remove all the water. Once you have squeezed out all the water you can, add it to the dough, mix it in, and form the dough into a rough ball.
Divide the dough into 12 portions and lightly shape them into balls. Place the biscuits on cookie sheets, 6 biscuits per sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
½ cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups sugar, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 ½ cups zucchini, grated & undrained
⅓ cup milk
⅓ cup butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
⅓ cup butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease a 9×13 pan.
Combine oil, 1 1/2 cups sugar, egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir well. (It will appear quite dry). Gently stir in the zucchini and spread the mixture into your prepared pan.
While cake is cooling, combine butter, milk and 1 cup sugar in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Allow to boil vigorously for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. Immediately pour over warm brownies. Let cool completely before cutting.
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