1 zucchini, finely grated (about 1 cup)
½ pound ground chicken or turkey
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wrap the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and gently squeeze to remove excess moisture, then place in a large bowl. Add the chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and parsley and mix together with clean hands. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Use a melon baller or a rounded teaspoon to scoop the meatball mixture into clean, wet hands. Form into meatballs and place 1 inch apart on the prepared pan. Brush tops with olive oil. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until cooked through and beginning to brown. Let cool, then transfer the meatballs to the lunchbox or an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to a month.
Quiche Cups
Makes 12.
“These easy-to-assemble quiche cups are a great grab-and-go morning meal that will have your dictator thinking you studied at Le Cordon Bleu,” writes Jenny Mollen in “Dictator Lunches” (Harvest, 2022). “Feel free to experiment with the ingredients depending on what you have on hand. I made these with frozen peas and carrots.”
Olive oil spray
4 sheets of phyllo pastry
8 large eggs
6 tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup chopped spinach leaves or frozen peas and carrots (see Note)
2 frozen turkey patties, or 4 turkey breakfast sausage links, chopped into cubes
⅔ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil spray.
Cut each sheet of phyllo into six (4-inch) squares, or 24 squares total. Press 2 squares of phyllo into each well of the prepared muffin tin to cover the bottom and sides.