Snack healthier with zucchini fritters and ranch tzatziki dressing

I have a family of little dippers. My son, in particular, is all about dipping his food; some food combinations, I admit, are a little on the odd side (cheesy crackers into his fruit smoothies being one of them), but I will take this love for dipping and gladly use it to my advantage when it comes to healthy eating.

On the weekends, I like to make veggie platters. It’s something I started in an effort to jump start our weekend of healthy eating. I find that during the week we eat healthy, since I’m packing sliced fruits and vegetables for lunches, but we slip off the healthy eating wagon on the weekends since it’s not already prepared. So taking just a few minutes to slice some crunchy snacks and make them accessible pays off!

Crudite platters are never complete without a good dressing, and Hidden Valley’s new Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing and Dip Mixes give us a tasty and healthy option for my dipping family. I took Hidden Valley’s Ranch Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing Mix and added a little bit of freshly diced cucumber and mint to make it into a ranch tzatziki Dressing. And to go along with the fresh vegetables, I made a quick batch of baked zucchini fritters.

What I love about grating zucchini is that I can put it into so many dishes that I know my kids will gobble up. These fritters are healthy and delicious, and since they are baked, they are another healthy option for the whole family!

Start by grating the zucchini and sprinkling salt over it in a sieve and letting it sit for about 5-10 minutes; this will help to bring out the moisture. Squeeze the zucchini in a dishcloth to remove the excess water. Then stir in the rest of the ingredients to create a quick batter.

Once the fritters are baked and golden, they go perfectly with the ranch tzatziki dressing and fresh vegetables!

Makes 8 fritters

Ingredients:

For the ranch tzatziki dressing:

• 3 tablespoons 2% milk
• 1-1/3 cups non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
• 1 packet Hidden Valley Original Ranch Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing Mix
• 1/2 cup finely diced cucumber (seeds omitted)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

For the baked zucchini fritters:

• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 teaspoon dry basil
• Kosher salt
• Pepper

Directions:

1. To make the ranch tzatziki dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the milk, yogurt and Hidden Valley Original Ranch Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing Mix. Stir in the cucumber and mint, cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to thicken.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lightly butter the parchment. Set aside.
3. Toss the zucchini with kosher salt and place in a sieve over a bowl for 10 minutes. Squeeze any excess liquid through the sieve, then place in a clean dishcloth and squeeze more liquid out. Transfer the zucchini into a medium bowl and combine with the egg, Parmesan cheese, flour, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion and basil. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, place about 2 tablespoon-sized scoops onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly press until it is a disk, about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches in width.
5. Place in oven and bake for about 10 minutes, then flip and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until it is golden brown and cooked through.

Serve with the ranch tzatziki dressing.

Disclosure: This post is part of a collaboration between Hidden Valley and SheKnows.