PESTO ZUCCHINI CAKES

This is a new take on Zucchini Cakes.  I love to take an old recipe - change it up and have great results.  I did not use the standard bread crumbs or flour in this recipe.  Instead I used 1/2 cup of toasted sunflower seeds, then ground them up in a food processor - it worked beautifully, and tasted delicious!   The Mayonnaise Pesto (at the end of the post) is a must with these zucchini cakes.
These zucchini cakes are a vegetarian recipe...we just happened to have them with grilled marinated pork chops....but any main dish would be tasty.  By the way, we had 2 leftover the next day...heated up with more pesto mayonnaise and a fried organic egg on top made a most delicious breakfast.  I froze the rest of the zucchini...think I will be making these again soon just so we can have them with eggs.
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (lightly toast on medium heat in a cast iron pan, tossing frequently until lightly golden)
2 Tblsp. grape seed oil
2 cups grated zucchini (squeeze out the excess moisture using a clean dish towel)
1 cup finely shredded and finely chopped cabbage
3 green onions, finely chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. Herbamare Season Salt (or your favorite Gluten Free Season Salt)
fresh cracked pepper
2 eggs
3 big Tblsp. fresh pesto
Once the sunflower seeds are toasted, whiz them up in a food processor until very fine and set aside.  Grate the zucchini and squeeze out the excess moisture using a clean dish towel.  Place into a medium sized bowl.  Add in the finely ground sunflower seeds.  Then add in the rest of the ingredients, mixing well.
Heat up a cast iron pan with the grape seed oil on medium heat.  Make sure the pan is pre heated well.
Dollop the zucchini mixture into the pan, and using the spoon lightly spread out to form a pattie.
Cook about 6 minutes each side until nice and brown.
Serve along side any main dish with dollop of Mayonnaise Pesto.
Mayonnaise Pesto:
3-4 Tblsp. Mayonnaise
1-2 Tblsp. fresh lemon juice or to taste
3 big Tblsp. fresh pesto
Place in a small bowl, mixing well and serve on top of the zucchini cakes.

Ina Gawne
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10 comments on “PESTO ZUCCHINI CAKES”

  1. Ina, these cakes look great! Question ... in the intro, you said you whizzed up sesame seeds, but the recipe says sunflower seeds. Which is it supposed to be? Either way they sound terrific, but I want to share your link on my gfe Facebook page, so I want to be sure before I write my intro comment to post there. I love the pesto topping. 🙂
    Thanks, dear!
    Shirley

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August 13, 2013
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